Expecting
by SaritaMalfoy22
Summary: I'm pregnant. My life is over... and my freinds are going down with me... FULL DESCRIPTION INSIDE. Rose/Scorpius,James Potter 2 & my own characters... etc. Rated for violence, swearing and scenes of a sexual nature. COMPLETE. (PS. I change the story image regularly!)
1. Prologue

**DESCRIPTION - please read!**

I'm pregnant. My life is over. And my friends are going down with me: James Potter is madly in love with the school beauty - my best friend Sarah - while Dom pines for a player, Becky falls in and out of love, Albus Potter is stuck in the middle, Lily Potter is playing cupid with _disastrous_ results, my brother Hugo is fighting his hormones, and Scorpius Malfoy holds more of a flaming torch (and possibly a pitchfork) than just a candle for me...in more ways than one.

Love is blossoming on the Quidditch pitch, but hate isn't far behind it...

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><p><strong><span>Prologue:<span>****Expecting**

I'm expecting my father to kill me.

I'm expecting to see the look on my mother's face that says 'I'm disappointed in you.'

I'm expecting that my friends will be horrified, but will fight anyone who judges me.

I'm expecting my Nana Molly to throw a hissy fit.

I'm expecting my Granddad Arthur to try to be diplomatic.

I'm expecting my Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry to try and be understanding.

I'm expecting James Potter to protect me from everyone who thinks I've done a terrible thing.

I'm expecting Albus Potter to stick up for me.

I'm expecting Dominique Weasley to stick by me.

I'm expecting Hugo to take my side over Dad's.

I'm expecting Lily Potter to tell everyone in her year that they can shut up about me, her insane cousin.

I'm expecting Teddy Lupin to be shocked, but to treat me like nothing's happened after it all.

I'm expecting Scorpius Malfoy to hate me for as long as I live.

I'm expecting to see the looks on the faces of strangers to read 'poor her' or 'silly girl.'

But most of all, I'm expecting a baby.

**Chapter****1 ****Sneak****Peek**

I turned over in my sleep one last time and my eyelids fluttered open. It felt as though someone had stuffed my mouth full of cotton wool and then driven over my head in a car driven (I use the term loosely) by my father and full of my family members playing the cymbals.

Hung-over? However did you tell?

The last thing I remember was celebrating the win against Ravenclaw last night in the Room of Requirement, where my raven-haired and utterly mad cousin James usually makes us party until we drop. I remember drinking so much I felt I was going to die, and then being picked up on the shoulders of Steve and Danny from my Quidditch team and my darling cousin James dancing around us with a plate strapped to his head with elastic.

I've said it before and I'll say it many more times to come; there's something very wrong with James Potter. Maybe Aunt Ginny dropped him on his head as a baby. I'll have to ask her when I –

"Morning sunshine!" a deep gravelly voice said from beside me, almost scaring the magic out of me. My head of elbow-length wavy auburn hair turned and my blue eyes fixed upon Scorpius Malfoy's own. My eyes trailed down to where his blonde hair ended and past his bare shoulders and chest. I started hyperventilating as I realised I'm as naked as a baby too.

You cannot be serious! I slept with one of my best and oldest friends?

'Ok Rose', I thought to myself, 'try not to panic. Maybe it's just a dream' I shut my eyes tight until little lights floated inside my eyelids. I opened them, hoping to see my dormitory, my old toy duck dad got me when I was little and my group of girlfriends sleeping soundly. Instead, I saw Scorpius looking concerned.

It's not a dream. We slept together.

_Shitshitshit._

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><p>Hey guys, a brand new story from me, this is just a quick taster... updates won't be very quick but hopefully won't be very slow either. Tell me what you think. :) -Sarita x<p>

**P.S. if you have read my other fic 'The Most Eligible Bachelor', please be assured that I DO intend to finish it, but due to writers block I have so far been unable to. This is a fic I have been developing for a few years now… I hope you enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 1: Angel of the Morning

**Chapter 1: Angel of the Morning**

I turned over in my sleep one last time and my eyelids fluttered open. It felt as though someone had stuffed my mouth full of cotton wool and then driven over my head in a car driven (I use the term loosely) by my father and full of my family members playing the cymbals.

Hung-over? However did you tell?

The last thing I remember was celebrating the win against Ravenclaw last night in the Room of Requirement, where my raven-haired and utterly mad cousin James usually makes us party until we drop. I remember drinking so much I felt I was going to die, and then being picked up on the shoulders of Steve and Danny from my Quidditch team and my darling cousin James dancing around us with a plate strapped to his head with elastic.

I've said it before and I'll say it many more times to come; there's something very wrong with James Potter. Maybe Aunt Ginny dropped him on his head as a baby. I'll have to ask her when I –

"Morning sunshine!" a deep gravelly voice said from beside me, almost scaring the magic out of me. My head of elbow-length wavy auburn hair turned and my blue eyes fixed upon Scorpius Malfoy's own. My eyes trailed down to where his blonde hair ended and past his bare shoulders and chest. I started hyperventilating as I realised I'm as naked as a baby too.

You cannot be serious! I slept with one of my best and oldest friends?

'Ok Rose', I thought to myself, 'try not to panic. Maybe it's just a dream' I shut my eyes tight until little lights floated inside my eyelids. I opened them, hoping to see my dormitory, my old toy duck dad got me when I was little, and my group of girlfriends sleeping soundly. Instead, I saw Scorpius looking concerned.

It's not a dream. We slept together.

Shitshitshit.

"I bet your head hurts doesn't it?" He said. I'm not looking at him but I can hear the playful smirk in his voice.

"Scorpius did we…last night at the party did I…did you…?" I spluttered, still not looking at him and combing my hair into my face with my fingers.

"Yep." He replied with more than a touch of pride.

I didn't expect any other answer to be honest. He said something else but I wasn't listening. I sat up in bed and hugged my knees. We were in a four-poster bed with the curtains drawn and I knew instantly where we were. Whenever James arranges a piss-up we sleep in beds provided by the room of requirement so we don't get caught all stumbling back to our respective common rooms blind drunk. There are usually boy/girl segregation rules (the room made that little guideline up, James would never be so strict, although he did come around to the idea when a guy from Hufflepuff was trying to get off with Lily...)

"Rose?" I heard Scorpius' nervous voice ask, bringing me back to earth.

"What?" I said still not facing him. He sat up as well and tucked a curl of hair behind my ear. I lie down simply to avoid him touching me. I used to fancy him like mad in forth year and I suppose that feeling never really went away but it still feels weird, especially when he lay down next to me, his arm snaking under my back and around my waist. I swear if this is one of his jokes I'm going to rip his arm off and beat him around the head with it.

"I said would you like to go again or is it too early?" He asked slightly uncertainly.

Kiss your arm goodbye, Scorpy.

"Excuse me? You think that's going to happen _again_?" I hissed, casting _muffliato_ at the room in general as I heard movement from somewhere to my right; other drunkards were awakening.

"Apparently not" He said flushing a blotchy puce and withdrawing his arm. He sat up and turned away from me, running his fingers through his hair.

"Last night you were really pissed last night weren't you?" He says over his shoulder in his Londoner drawl without looking directly at me. I looked at him incredulously before it hit me.

Maybe this _thing_ with us wasn't a mistake for him.

I started hyperventilating again and the only legible thoughts running through my head is that a.) My mum will be so disappointed I didn't wait until I was at least a 49 year old cat lady until I lose my virginity, b.) That my dad will kill me and Scorpius and c.) That Scorpius might like me more than as a best friend. I mean, _really_ like me. I shook the thought from my head and glanced around for my clothes, not wanting to give him a reply. I grabbed the red skin-tight dress I'd been wearing the night before and Scorpius mutely passed me my lacy black and white bra that had somehow wrapped itself around his leg. He didn't meet my eyes but looked appreciatively at the bra as it was passed under his nose.

"Thanks" I said pulling it on and clipping it at the back. I then pulled my dress over it and looked around the bottom of the bed (without getting up) for my knickers. Unsuccessfully.

"Scorpius, have you seen my…?" I trailed off. Better not to rub salt into the wound. "Never mind" I added as he pulled his silk green boxers (no, seriously) and trousers on with his back to me.

I admired said back for a moment, watching the muscles ripple. Scorpius was tall (at least six foot two) and muscular from being the beater on the Slytherin team. His thick blonde hair was just like his Father's when he was fifteen; cut so it hung nicely framing his face at cheekbone length and getting shorter towards the back. I thought it was lovely, and his beautiful platinum blonde hair and pale skin set his blue eyes off strikingly and made them shine like sapphires. However I had more than enough sense than to describe him as beautiful; he has an air of rugged masculinity about him that subconsciously makes you change it to 'handsome' in your head. Anyway, as he stood up he pulled his tight top over the slightly darker hairs of his chest and looked at me steadily. He had already pulled on his trainers and seemed to be waiting for something. I shrugged to myself – I would go without knickers until I could get access to a shower.

"Well." Scorpius said as he passed me one of my patent red stilettos to me over our shared bed.

I put the shoe on and found the other at the foot of the bed. A house elf would come by later to rearrange the beds, but in the meantime (and because maybe I think my mother's now-international S.P.E.W. party isn't as ridiculous as dad makes it out to be) I straightened the sheets as best I could and then when I had no other excuse for ignoring him, I looked at Scorpius.

"Well." I repeated, looking at him solemnly.

I had no idea what to say in this situation. What was there to say? 'Well I'm sure that was lovely…if only I could remember it.' That would go down a _right_ treat. With one sad look at me, he turned and pushed the curtains away from our bed. I blinked and he was gone, striding out of this massive part of the Room of Requirement and out of sight. I felt strangely miserable then, but then I felt the curtains behind me being pushed apart and I turned around to be greeted by the face of my cousin Dominique, and our best friends Sarah and Becky.

Dominique is petite and very slim like her mother. That's where the similarities between her and Aunt Fleur end. Her natural hair colour is a pretty red-gold but she dyes it either a warm honey brown, which really suits her heart shaped face, or a platinum blonde, like her mum, which looks great too. She wears it mid-length and poker-straight. She has big grey eyes and small, pink, pouty lips. She's pretty, don't get me wrong, but there isn't much of her mother in her face and I can safely say (though not within Dom's earshot) that there's barely even a _trace_ of Veela in her and in fact she looks more like her dad, Bill. Obviously she doesn't know I think this. I don't have a death wish. To prove the point of her not having much of the Veela about her, she has horrible luck with boys. And by horrible I don't mean they trail after her like lovesick puppies, I mean she attracts complete idiots. Namely one, but we'll go into that later.

Now onto Sarah. You know that saying; pretty girls turn heads? This girl breaks necks. She's _the_ epitome of a Femme Fatale (she's been voted the winner of the Hogwarts secret magazine _The Silver Snitch_'s beauty award for about four years now, and is an up and coming model for Witch Weekly, winning several awards there too). She's very tall, standing at six feet, and has natural curves that would give Jessica Rabbit a run for her money. Her naturally jet-black and wavy hair is about elbow length and is always shiny and in good condition. Her eyes are sparkly, doe-like and deep blue and her skin is a light olive, if that makes sense. She's also one of the best-groomed girls I know; her eyebrows are always plucked to dark perfection, lashes long, thick and curly and her lips are always shining with balm (which only adds to the femme fatale thing she's got going on) unless she's eating or snogging. She's probably my best friend out of the three of them, mainly due to her wicked sense of humour and 'c'est la vie' attitude to life that other girls lack, and although we're all very close, Sarah and I just...click.

Becky, however, is shorter than Sarah and I, about five foot three, with very pale (and very natural) thin blonde hair she keeps at just past shoulder length. Her eyes are a grey-green and she has the cutest button nose I think I've ever seen and although she's prone to spots (which she once tried to hex off - with disastrous results) she's still quite pretty. She's not as curvy as Sarah, but isn't quite as slim as Dom either. (I guess on the curvy factor I'm somewhere in between Becky and Sarah.) Becky and Dom act like they're joint at the hip and they've _never_ had an argument. Becky's constantly grinning like a Cheshire cat about something, and is your average giggly, bubbly girl. She reminds me of a kind of modern-day Alice in Wonderland; she's inquisitive, blonde and fairly girly. We have a group of friends here in Hogwarts which includes us four girls, my cousin James, his brother Albus, and Scorpius. Becky is close to Albus, because they both share a passion for Potions and Herbology. But like I said, we're all close.

Anyway, they've just opened the curtains; Becky is more or less fully dressed as far as I can tell, Sarah is in her silver shorts, long sleeved shirt and black heels from last night, and Dom is wrapped in a towel. We don't ask who everyone else has been with overnight so we just look at each other and simultaneously nod and say:

"Shower time."

While in the showers that are only separated by cubicles, we talked over the noise. Luckily we're the only ones that are up at the moment, everyone else is sound asleep since its eight o clock on a Saturday (or should that be Hangover Day?) As Sarah passed me some of her passion fruit and rose extract shower gel, we talked boys.

"I feel like a slut." Dom said, as she always does when we find ourselves in the room of requirement showers. However, usually it's only her who's slept with a guy she shouldn't have.

"Who were you with last night then Dom?" Becky sighed as she accepts the shower gel from me and squirted a generous amount into her palm, as I have done.

As I lathered up my skin, I took a sidelong glance at Dom, who was rubbing her shoulders (the only bit of her I can see, thankfully) over to completely cover them in bubbles.

"Wait. Don't tell us." Sarah sighed.

"Sean Finnegan" All four of us said in unison, Dom's nose wrinkled in self-disgust.

Dom was never usually shy – in fact she was one of the pluckiest girls I knew, often bordering on mouthy. Well, let's just say she's opinionated and not afraid to show it. Me, Becky and Sarah groaned in unison. Sean Finnegan, son of Seamus, was Dom's on again-off again boyfriend with whom she had a habit of jumping into bed with when she got drunk enough. This is the guy she has the worst luck with; every time she breaks up with him she says never again, the next party she wakes up, washes the smell of him off her body and repeats it to us, furious with herself.

"I know it was bad, but he always was a good shag." She said dreamily. Becky wrinkled her nose delicately and Sarah shook her head as she cleaned away last-night's mascara from under her eyes with her wet fingers. I stayed silent, trying to remember what had happened between me and Scorpius last night.

"Who were _you_ with then?" Dom asked Becky, catching the look on her face. Becky began lathering her hair up with some coconut shampoo Dom was now passing around. Becky looked quite shocked.

"Rich, of course." She said, rather stunned. Rich (Richard, Rick, Rich, Ricky; she had a variety of nicknames for him) and Becky had been going out for four years now.

"Oh yeah, of course. What about you, Sarah?" Dom asked as I took the shampoo from Becky and lathered up my hair, resting the bottle on the top of the cubicle for Dom. Sarah smiled mysteriously, conditioning her hair now.

"Come on, Sare!" I said, smiling now and trying to distract myself from thoughts of my own experience last night.

"All right. If you must know I was with Danny. She said, a pretty blush creeping across her cheeks. Becky handed me the shampoo, stunned as she and Sarah climbed out and Dom chucked them both towels as she rinsed her own hair and threw me a towel of my own.

"Danny? As in Danny Fox?" Becky said incredulously.

"Danny on the team?" I asked, even more so, meaning the Quidditch team. Becky didn't play Quidditch but the rest of us did. Danny and Sarah'd had eyes on each other for _years_, though both oblivious to the other's feelings.

"Yes, but we didn't have sex!" Sarah said firmly. "We stayed up the whole night talking and fell asleep together." She added dreamily.

"Aww!" Becky said, hugging her friend, despite the towels.

Dom rolled her eyes as if she knew they would get together and I beamed at Sarah's good luck. If she did eventually sleep with him he wouldn't be her _first_. Don't get me wrong…none of us are sluts like the Nott/Parkinson twins (who have slept with _any boy_ who'll have them) but none of us are virgins either. Becky lost hers to Rich two years ago, Dom lost hers to Sean about eight months ago when they were going out, Sarah lost hers to my cousin James (which I try _desperately_ not to think about) when she was about 15/16 years old (and in a steady relationship with James might I add) and I lost mine to my ex boyfriend Freddie, who I try even more desperately not to think about, about a month later than Sarah and Dom. So now I have Scorpius _and_ Freddie not to think about.

Oh, the joys of a sexually active life.

An hour or so later we were in the Great Hall having a fairly late breakfast. Sarah was sat with Danny opposite me and Dom, holding hands with him (she told us after we got over the initial shock that he had asked her out that morning in bed) and Dom and I had to watch him duck his head every five seconds to kiss her neck because he liked to see her giggle. Becky was sat next to me, Rich's arm around her waist firmly, grinning like a Cheshire cat as usual. Dom was sending hopeful, fervent glances to Sean, who was sat a little way down the table, laughing away with Hannah Hamley (a total slut with whom he had a brief fling a few weeks ago). I was avoiding Scorpius like the plague; no easy feat when he was my cousin's best mate and was opposite me across the hall at the Slytherin table, staring a hole through my head. I half-heartedly pushed my bacon and scrambled eggs around my plate. Dom looked at me shrewdly.

"You never told us who you fucked last night Rosie." She hissed in my ear. I looked at her with weary eyes, not about to call her on her less than flattering term.

"Scorpius." I sighed quietly, not looking at her.

"Ohmygod Rosie you didn't…he's like one of our closest mates!" She hissed. I rolled my eyes sadly to say 'it's not like I haven't already come to that conclusion.'

Becky flashed us an inquisitive look and opened her mouth to ask what we were talking about, but Sarah gave her a look over Danny's head that plainly said 'shut up now. We'll find out later' I retired to pushing my food around my plate again. I never left food untouched, even when I was really ill.

_This_ is what one night in the arms of Scorpius Malfoy has done to me.

**A.N.** All right, I'll admit, it wasn't quite the introduction I was hoping since I didn't get to introduce many of the main characters, especially James, who'll be pretty huge :) In case anyone was wondering by the way, Sarah is pronounced Sair (rhymes with hair) – ah. Not Sara (: She'll be pretty huge in this story too, and I know she seems a bit too faultless to be true, **that's the point**. She's supposed to be something for Rose to have to deal with, like a friendly obstacle if you like :P Buuuut even if it isn't really a _true_ taster to the story, please review, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

P.S. thanks for reviewing! I love to hear your input!


	3. Chapter 2: Fast Company

**Chapter 2: Fast Company**

I can't remember anything about Becky and Dom going to meet Rich and one of Dom's other friends. All I know is that there's a big gap in between 'eating' breakfast and sat here in the hall at ten o clock in the morning. I have nothing to do right now and my cousin James is sat opposite me, with Sarah beside me and James's brother Albus beside James.

I thanked my lucky stars that Albus was here with us because Sarah and James find it hard to make conversation that isn't awkward for everyone else. You see, James is still absolutely _smitten as a kitten_ with Sarah, who is (you guessed it) completely oblivious.

Sometimes I feel like shouting at her when she introduces us to another of her boy toys and James holds his fork so tightly that his knuckles turn purple and interrogates the lad until one of us kicks James under the table, but then I remind myself it's not her fault that my emotional fuckwit of a cousin is completely and utterly in love with her. To the point of obsession.

Anyway, at this moment in time, Albus is telling me about Katy Cartwright, his latest flame, Sarah is applying lipgloss and James is watching her, gaping as he fantasises about kissing those lips just one more time. It's freaky how well I know my cousins, to the point of downright disturbing.

"…she's in the year below us, I'm sure you know her, mousy brown hair, honey-brown eyes and a figure to die for…" Albus gushes to me.

Of course I knew her: Sludgy brown eyes, limp brown hair with tacky bleach-blonde block highlights and straight up and down figure; no curves whatsoever. She's like a record, she gets around. Albus on the other hand is a smart, good-looking lad, tall with untidy black hair and bright green eyes, just like his dad, and James is the same, but taller, more muscular and with deepest chocolate eyes and without glasses. The only problem with Albus is that he goes for the completely wrong girls.

"Yeah Al, we know her. Total slag, like all the others. When will you learn that you're a gorgeous, smart guy and you don't need whores like Cartwright and...who was it last week?" Sarah sighed, shutting her compact mirror with a click and facing him.

I love her; she's not one to mince her words. James laughed heartily and clapped Albus on the shoulder. Albus didn't know whether to be depressed at her statement, or gooey at her compliment.

"Little bro, forget about her. She's not right for you." James said as Albus rested his head on his hand and rolled his eyes.

"I really was going to ask her out, you know."

"Yeah we know cous. Just pick a girl our age and who isn't a complete slapper." I said, smiling. Sarah grinned and James gawped at her, like he always does when she smiles. Or when she doesn't. Any excuse. He shook himself mentally after a second.

"By the way..." He said, dropping his voice as he leant towards us. Naturally, we all leaned in too.

"When are we changing next?" He asked, completely seriously now and changing the subject.

"Let's talk in the cabin, yeah?" Sarah said quickly. We nodded in unison.

We took advantage of the calm before the storm, when the hall would be full with screeching second years ready for a late breakfast, packed up our things and begin to make our way to the grounds. Becky and Dom joined us somewhere along the way and I saw Scorpius making his way from the other side of the grounds as we walked steadily over to the lake, at the part closest to the Forbidden Forest, where we've built a small hut, hidden in the thicket of trees (with the permission of Hagrid, who fawns over us, bless his heart.)

"What are we talking about?" Becky asked as we lifted the go-away spells around the tiny wooden cabin, only the size of a small broom cupboard and pile inside. Obviously it's much bigger on the inside, with 12 double bedrooms, a makeshift kitchen and a few bathrooms. We make our way to the kitchen, where James has strewn numerous beanbags and mini chairs.

"Shifting." Albus says shortly, throwing himself into the nearest chair.

"Aw honey which chick is it this time?" Dom asked, knowing he's upset over a girl and leaning into him.

"Katy Cartwright."

"Oh, _that_ slut? Forget her" Dom said casually, straightening up and dropping into a beanbag. I can't really blame her; she's got more problems after finding out Sean and Hannah Hamley _are_ an item again.

We all fell into seats and James conjured some hot chocolate just as Scorpius opened the door and slivered in through the narrow door, shivering. It's surprisingly cool for late September and we all begin to warm our fingers near the open fire.

"Yeah, so when do you think is a good time for all of us?" Becky asked from the seat she's sharing with Albus. He looks quite content as she drapes her legs over his lap and lies back against the arm of the chair.

"I'm free all this month, we don't have Quidditch tryouts until next month, do we James?" I said, looking at James. He's our captain and even though we've already played a match, it was using the players from last year since James was too disorganised (read _lazy_) to arrange tryouts.

"Actually Ro, I think I'll have 'em next Monday, well before the match against Slytherin." All the Gryffindors in the room cheered while Scorpius and Albus sat and looked sullen.

"So that leaves us with two weeks free." Becky said logically.

"No, me and Scor have a match against Hufflepuff next week." Albus chimed in, never too upset to forget Quidditch.

"What about this coming Friday then?" Scorpius asked croakily. He looks pale this morning, and I know I can't look any better, but he looks a lot worse than he did when he was trying it on with me earlier.

There are no complaints from the crowd, so we put it in our diaries for Friday.

Maybe I ought to explain. See, me and everyone else in this cabin is an animagus. It took us about two or three years to get good enough at the theory to try and physically change, and we're seventeen (eighteen for James) now, and although there are a few flaws to work out, it came pretty naturally to us. Lily, Hugo, Lucy, Roxy, Molly and Louis are very interested in becoming animagi too but they've only been studying for about a year. This skill is exclusive to the Weasley-Potter clan (since no other students really know about animagi), except for Scorpius, Becky and Sarah obviously, but they've always been like part of the family. Fred, Roxy's brother, doesn't shift, he could never get the hang of it really, and he doesn't like the idea of it. Since he left school last year, it doesn't really affect us.

We know how rare it is but ever since our parents first told us the bedtime stories about Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs and their adventures, we were enchanted and all knew we wanted to keep shifting in our family. Our parents know about it and advised us _not_ to register on the list of known animagi because we'd get much more media hype if everyone knew what we could become, and we'd be hounded even more. Mum was so proud when she found out what I was, which was a better reaction than I could have hoped for, and Uncle Harry was really touched by the fact that we wanted to keep the Marauder's memory very much alive.

When we shift, I'm a fiery red fox, Sarah is a beautiful black fox, Becky is an albino arctic fox and Dom is a well-camouflaged grey fox. James is a _huge_ shaggy black dog like Sirius apparently was. James was so intrigued by his two namesakes that he decided to copy Sirius. Albus is a sandy coloured lynx and Scorpius is a magnificent red wolf.

Aren't we just the most normal bunch of teens you've ever met?

Don't answer that.

* * *

><p>Six days passed as me and Scorpius did our best to put everything behind us. I found it comforting to be able to talk to him alone again, but it would be a while until we were as close as we used to be, cuddling up to each other in the same chair just because we wanted to read the same book.<p>

Friday arrived after a long and mainly uneventful week. James asked a girl out on Wednesday and asked me to monitor Sarah closely for her reaction but she just smiled when I told her and said it was good he'd found a girlfriend. I wish I hadn't relayed her actual reaction to James; the look of misery on his face was enough to make me want to cry. I hadn't spoke to him much after that, which was really unusual for us since we're thick as thieves; he sat further up the Gryffindor table with his other mates to avoid watching Danny snake his arm around Sarah's waist and kiss her every five minutes. I saw James steal a glance whenever he felt he could get away with it, though, and I remember how I didn't think him capable of anything but casual flirting and drunken snogs until he met Sarah.

Friday at dusk I found myself making my way across the grounds, past Hagrid's hut, under cover of near-darkness. I could see Albus and Scorpius up ahead but I didn't want to draw attention to myself by shouting for them; I was probably... scratch that - _definitely_ -breaking curfew as it was. So I made my way alone, preparing myself for changing. Dom had walked with Becky, who had gone to see a teacher about some exam technique, while Sarah walked down with James, who had ambushed her as we came out of the common room. I had hastily made an excuse for James' sake and pretended to have forgotten something. So here I was, stood outside our 'little' cabin. I knocked once and let myself in to find everyone stripping down to the thinnest layer of clothing (t-shirt and trousers) because we don't have to be naked to change, but it helps to take as much off as possible.

You'd think this was weird, taking half our clothes off, but they're my cousins and they've seen it all before, and it isn't as if we're naked. As for the girls, I've shared a dorm with them for six years, and Scorpius has literally seen my all anyway, even if (and I hope) he doesn't remember. In any case, Sarah, Becky and Dom are in one part of the kitchen and the lads are in the other. Scorpius is shirtless and folding his top, Albus is in nothing but underwear and sat casually in one of the beanbags, while James is stood in his boxers, watching Sarah, who's in a vest and short-shorts out of the corner of his eyes like the pervert that he is, eyes wandering from her long, long legs to her generous chest and then to her beautiful eyes. As I walked past him I slapped him upside the head. She's one of my best friends after all, and if she takes any more clothes off it'll be Boob City Central and James won't be able to stop from humping her leg or something.

Boys, eh?

I undressed, noticing with some satisfaction that Scorpius was watching me over the top of his Broomstick Weekly magazine, trying to be inconspicuous and failing since the magazine was upside down. I finally got undressed and we filed outside, shivering in our winter underclothes (thin vests and shorts mainly) and huddling close together.

"Ready?" I asked through chattering teeth. Everyone replied either in the affirmative, or with nods. We each crouched on the floor in between the closely growing trees like athletic sprinters and James counted to three.

On three, we all took off through the trees, changing slowly as we run. We prefer doing this since we haven't had a long time to perfect our on the spot changing without moving, and this works fine for us anyway. Dom was a few feet away from me, Becky behind her slightly, and Sarah being closely tailed by James. Scorpius is always two trees away from me and Albus is flanking him. This is our formation.

Suddenly, Dom jumped in the air on two human feet and landed on the four paws of a fox. Becky sprouted fur everywhere and grew a snout and a bushy tail before suddenly in a burst of white, she's an arctic fox, Sarah was jogging alongside me now, I could feel the heat radiating off her human body as our feet carry us so fast through the trees that my eyes are watering, and suddenly the sleek tail of a jet black vixen is brushing against my leg. Up ahead a harsh bark that sounds strangely like a laugh informs me that James has shifted. Albus yelped back and padded across the clearing up ahead on huge paws.

I looked to my right to see Scorpius staring at me and we mouth the words 'One…Two…Three' at each other and shift, him becoming a medium sized red wolf and me a fiery red vixen. I could see from my lower viewpoint on the ground that Dom was sat, licking her paw on a felled pine tree, Becky beside her, panting. Albus was scrambling up the nearest pine tree, searching for birds to chase and Sarah and James were racing towards them. Sarah just won and James snapped playfully at her ankles, panting. Scorpius beat me to them and sat calmly looking around the woods. A unicorn bounded through the trees a few hundred metres away, faster than the speed of light it seems and I reached the slight clearing that we always come to. We're fairly deep in the woods, in a huge clearing and we know what kinds of creatures lurk in this gigantic forest. Thankfully we know enough about these woods to steer clear of the centaurs, acromantula, werewolves, trolls, giants (Yes, it seems Grawp found himself a female friend and they really hit it off…) and so on.

Sarah was pulling a pine needle that seems to have embedded itself into James' paw out, while he whined when I turned back to our 'pack'. Albus growled in a laugh and James barked warningly. Becky and Dom were lying on the fallen pine tree, heads on their paws, looking tired as old dogs. Scorpius came up to me, grey blue eyes piercing my own blue orbs as he panted and cocked his head to the side, looking even more adorable. James is now free of the pine needle that I'm _sure_ didn't get there by accident and he rubbed his big head against Sarah's, who licks his cheek affectionately.

Damn her kind nature, it always gets the better of her.

James looked right at me triumphantly and I rolled my eyes and turned my tail to inspect the area. This is the first time we've been back here since before the summer holidays.

We usually only change once a month, because we just love to lead different lives sometimes, feel the wind in our fur and scrap around with each other a bit. Scorpius and James were play-fighting and Becky and Dom were chasing squirrels while Sarah and I sniffed the perimeter to make sure there are no enemy foxes (or worse) in the forest.

Soon we're beginning to drift further from the group, our paws only making slight noises in the bracken as we made our way back the way we'd came. I had smelt the faint trace of a werewolf but had dismissed it, hoping whoever it was would keep their distance, and also had picked up on a fairy in the area, but again I dismissed it. Fairies wouldn't harm us. I turned behind me to see Scorpius trotting along at my heels and Becky and Dom behind him a few metres.

The whole group of us soon reach the edge of the forest and realised it's become dark. The full moon hung over the lake, so huge and yellow that we all trotted to the water's edge and sat down. James lapped up some water and we sat on the sandy bank, watching the Giant Squid making ripples across the huge pool. After a few seconds of peace I felt Albus clamp my tail between his teeth and saw him grin up at me as I howled in pain. Scorpius snapped his jaws at Albus and the two began rolling on the ground, ripping fur from each other and chasing each other around the sandy bank, barking with laughter. I jumped into the scuffle and bit the scruff of Albus' neck before running a few feet and crouching. Dom jumped on Albus' back when he turned to pounce on me and then Scorpius sent Dom flying. She landed near Sarah's paw and Sarah growled terrifyingly, baring her rows of razor sharp pearly whites. She bounded over Dom, who was still down, and onto Albus, while I pinned Scorpius down. Scorpius struggled but even for a fox I have bloody strong muscles. Wolf boy grinned up at me and nipped at my nose. I yelped and scratched his cheek with my paw and began running over the grounds towards the Whomping Willow. Scorpius is thumping along the ground towards me; I can hear him as I dodged. He growled from behind me and I could hear snapping jaws from back down by the lake. Suddenly I'm on the ground, Scorpius on top of me and panting heavily, his furry chest heaving. I struggled but he's on top so he has the advantage. He looked down at me when I stopped struggling, knowing it's useless. Beautiful grey blue eyes meet my own and he got closer to me, his tail wagging. I don't move and his face is inches from my own; his whiskers are tickling my cheek as he gives me the sloppy equivalent of a wolf kiss, dragging his scratchy tongue over my nose and mouth. I barked threateningly and jumped up, catching him by surprise. I growled and he flattened his ears and his tail dropped between his legs. Literally. And so Scorpius does what he always does.

He runs away.

* * *

><p>Next morning, after we had our fill of scrapping we made our way to the great hall. We were out so late the previous night that we slept in the cabin. Scorpius was in the next room to me and gave me a look that plainly said 'I'm sorry.' His expression was so plaintive that I nodded once and forced a smile, trying to forget about him for the time being. So we'd had sex and then may or may not have shared a canine kiss? There were no consequences that I could think of so far. Our relationship was back on track as it was. Time is a great healer and I was a great believer in our friendship and being able to patch things up. Maybe that was helped by the fact that I can't really remember many of the night's events except that I was the one to come to him in the first place and that he was really nervous when we actually got into bed. I can't remember what he looked like naked, or maybe I blocked it out. I <em>do<em> know that it's not a big deal, I'm not going to make a fuss because I'm not going to pressure him for anything more than that and although I do like Scorpius a lot I'm going to keep it to myself.

And that's my genius master plan.

We walked across the hall as soon as we entered the building and Albus and Scorpius trailed back to the Slytherin table, waving at us as they went. James reluctantly met up with the girl he had asked out, I think her name was Amy, and they sat down opposite Sarah and Danny, through no coincidence I assure you. Amy was pretty, if you were looking at her from across a room in low light, but she was no Sarah and there wasn't much in the personality department so I was left to conclude that James had definitely only asked her out to see what Sarah thought. It just backfired on him when Amy said yes and Sarah seemed indifferent.

"So Amy, I haven't seen you around." I said politely from beside Sarah.

Becky sat beside Amy and Rich sat with his friends from Ravenclaw on their house table. He really promoted house unity, what with him being with us on this table most of the time. However, in this day and age at Hogwarts, we don't really care which table we sit at because we have friends wherever. Dom was currently over with Al and Scorpius at the Slytherin table.

"Well I would be in the year above if I hadn't been made to repeat this year, and I'm in Slytherin." Amy shrugged, dull brown shoulder length hair bouncing over her shoulders.

Sarah smiled kindly at her and James poked at his food sulkily. Danny seemed interested in the new girl and when Amy met his eyes, she dropped his gaze immediately. Sarah missed this while eating but Becky and I caught it and looked at each other quizzically. I know it's wrong to judge people before you know them, and Nana Weasley would lecture me about it, but I couldn't shake the gut feeling that this girl couldn't be trusted, and by the looks of it Becky shared my opinion.

Hmmm. It seemed we would have to do some digging on the new girl…

* * *

><p>Thanks for the reviews! They mean a lot to me, please keep reviewing! I hope you liked the animagus idea... I decided to try something out...haven't seen it in any other stories of this kind :)<p>

-Sarita x


	4. Chapter 3: Amortentia

**Chapter 3: Amortentia **

"God, I wish Sarah would just realise that Jamie is still madly in love with her so they can live happily ever after and have perfect little babies. It's starting to make him look ill." Becky said grumpily on Monday morning, her mouth full of bacon as she stared across the hall at James, who was picking at his food, his unusually pale face contorted in a grimace.

"I don't think he's looking forward to Quidditch trials either you know." Dom says as she plopped heavily down next to us at the Slytherin table.

"I didn't realise James still had the hots for Sarah!" Scorpius said loudly. A few people near us turned to look at him while me, Becky and Dom stared. Even Albus looked at him incredulously from the seat beside him.

"You're as dense as teak, do you live under a rock at the bottom of a pond or something?" Dom asked sarcastically, wiping a bit of orange juice she had spilled on her robes.

"Didn't you see him staring at her undressing the other night like the peeping Tom he is?" Becky asked, frowning in disbelief.

"Well I just assumed…its _Sarah_ for God's sake; he'd be gay if he _wasn't_ watching her undress!" Scorpius smiled crookedly at Albus, who nodded in agreement.

I rolled my eyes, wondering why hearing Scorpius say that made me want to punch him in the teeth. Repeatedly. To music.

"Well _you_ weren't watching her Scor, in fact I could've sworn you were eyeing up our Rosie" Becky snapped.

It seemed it wasn't just me who took insult in the fact that all the boys we know talk about Sarah like she's a piece of meat. And just maybe she was just a _little_ bit jealous of the fact that our mate is, unfortunately for us, practically a goddess on earth.

Hang on… _**what**_ did she just say? Scorpius was turning an attractive shade of pink, avoiding my eye contact. Albus looked horrified that his best mate was perving on his cousin, but also quite relieved. Relieved that maybe that perving on me proved his best friend wasn't completely thick and/or gay. Dom kicked Becky under the table, just as we both realised we hadn't told her yet that me and Scorpius had slept together. Sarah had worked it out for herself and Becky hadn't asked.

"Well I was checking out your goods, Becky." Albus said calmly buttering some toast. I thanked my lucky stars that Al would naturally do anything to prevent awkwardness. Becky spluttered and we all laughed to show he was joking.

My _God_ that was close.

* * *

><p>An hour later we were freezing our bollocks off on the Quidditch pitch. The fine, cold October rain was drizzling us with moisture. It was the type of the rain that you can't really notice falling, but that soaks you through and through.<p>

"Right listen up because I want to have a shower and get some dry boxers on! James roared over the combined noise of students and rain.

"All those who aren't in Gryffindor, bugger off!" Sarah shouted from next to him, clutching her sleek black Comet 540 in her manicured, shivering hands.

A few younger kids slouched off, teeth chattering.

"Get in a line!" Danny (Sarah's squeeze) shouted after her.

Nobody moved. He's only been on the team for a year, unlike me, Dom, Sarah and James who have been on since the end of the First year.

"GET IN A BLOODY LINE BECAUSE I'M FREEZING MY TITS OFF!" Sarah bellowed.

Jeez Louise that girl has a pair of lungs on her.

A few lads who'd come down just to see her (there was usually a group of five or six different lads every day following her around and today was no exception) looked over at her with mesmerised expressions. Ah, love at first sight.

"Oh piss off you lot." Dom shouted carelessly at them and they skedaddled, sending her death glares. Sarah looked after them with eyebrows raised.

"What the hell is with lads these days?" She asked.

James chuckled softly and put a warm arm around her. She sank into his body while Danny sulked, kicking up clods of earth with his boots.

"I wouldn't worry kitty cat. Right, you first!" James yelled, pointing to one of Lily's friends. Lily herself stood behind the mousy haired girl and blew me a kiss, her eyes crossed. Someone once said she looks a little bit like Angelina Jolie. One of those muggles who abducts kids. Or is it _adopts_ kids? What do I care? Besides, I think Lily's prettier.

Anyway, she smiled at Dom and waved at Sarah, who smiled brilliantly and waved back. Lily and Sarah are almost closer than _James_ and Lily for Christ's sake; she was nearly as upset as him when they broke up.

Except _nobody_ gets that upset. Or so I thought before Sarah involuntarily broke his heart... but I'm getting sidetracked.

But anyway, if Lily doesn't get on the team I'll eat my thinking hat because by Christ I've never seen any girl catch a Quaffle like she does. The first girl up sees the Bludger racing towards her and ducks, screaming.

"Gordon Bennett, this is gonna be a long morning." James moaned, running wet fingers through wet hair and turning to me.

* * *

><p>After the trials, James, Sarah, Dom and me trekked to the changing rooms, showered, and then made our way down to the cabin. Scorpius, Albus, Becky, Rich and Danny are already there and Lily was just behind us when we left. I'm starting to feel a bit sick, but I suppose I had quite a big breakfast and spent two hours zooming around on a broomstick. As soon as we plopped into seats and warmed up by the fire that Albus had already lit, Sarah sat between Danny's legs on the floor, while James dug his hands into his pockets, scowling at the flames.<p>

"So, who do you think made it onto the team?" Albus asked, handing around a large packet of crisps.

"Well, me obviously, Rose, Lily, Dom, Steve, Danny. That's it I think." James says.

Oh, how cruel. We _all _know there are seven players on a team; he just wants to get back at Sarah. She looks fuming right now, and seeing as she's the best female beater Hogwarts has seen since Lauren Blarh, the part-troll beater of the 50s, I wouldn't want to be in James' position. She stood up, Danny looked irritated as hell behind her and I stepped out from in between her and James.

I may be mental but I'm not suicidal.

"Just kidding, you made the team. You _always_ make the sodding team" He said quickly, winking as she laughed and hugged him. Danny's expression didn't change from irritation.

"Ahh James I love you!" She giggled happily and James' cheerful smile fell slightly as he looked down at her. Danny noticed the look and raised his thick eyebrows and Dom loudly asked who wanted a cup of tea before we shot off to our next lesson.

* * *

><p>"Right, get into opposite sex pairs for this project and I'll put you together with another pair." Professor Middleton instructed, pushing her thick glasses higher up her nose and checking her tight bun is still in place. She's quite young (early thirties I suppose) but she dresses like an eighty year old.<p>

Strange woman.

Anyway, she's our Potions teacher and as you can tell, she's asked us to get into pairs. Opposite sex pairs.

Bugger. It's a Gryffindor/Slytherin class…

Oh thank god, Scorpius is crossing the room towards me. Sarah is already with Danny, Becky has paired up with Albus, while Dom is marching purposefully across the room to Sean Finnegan before his girlfriend has a chance. James, who repeated the seventh year with us (for pissing around and moping because of Sarah instead of revising) can't escape his new girlfriend, Amy. Honestly, you should have heard Aunt Ginny when he told her he wanted to re-take the seventh year; I thought she was going to kill him with a meat cleaver.

"Hey Scorpius! Or should I have said 'Hi Potions Partner!'" A high pitched girly voice said from just in front of me. I turned to see five foot two of pure bitch with her back to me.

_Chelsea Oxford. _

Scorpius doesn't look best pleased; in fact he's peering over her head into my eyes apologetically. God, I hate that girl.

"Times up! Have you all got partners?" Professor Middleton called from the front.

"Rose Weasley, partner up with Freddie Bishop." She added. I swivelled my head and see my favourite person in the world (not), my ex boyfriend Freddie. Scorpius turned as well with pure hatred in his eyes. There stands six foot two of alpha male, sandy blonde hair cut choppily around his face, and darkest brown eyes. I swooned. Scorpius glared at me then at Freddie, who hugged me, ignoring Scorpius.

"There's my favourite ex-girlfriend!" He said loudly in his deep voice.

I'm kind of crushed against him, and although I'm tall at the height of 5 foot ten, he's still taller. He kissed my head affectionately and my knees started buckling. Deary me, why did I ever break up with this hunk? Then I saw Chelsea Oxford over his shoulder and I remembered why.

About four months ago, when I was already involved in a ten month relationship with Freddie, I smelled perfume on his shirt (how cliché) and confronted him about it. He couldn't tell me about it and he said he couldn't remember anything and then I found out that he'd drunk some pumpkin juice that had been spiked with Amortentia. Then I found out that one of Chelsea's friends had done it because she had something against me (probably Quidditch related) and wanted revenge. I still to this day don't know which of her friends did it, and she's in Slytherin so it could be anyone really, and I even have my suspicions about her for reasons I'll explain later, not to mention the fact that she's in Slytherin. Anyway, I found it hard to trust Freddie after that, although it wasn't his fault, and so I finished it with him. And that's my tragic story.

Sniff sniff.

"Sarah and Daniel, pair up with Amy and James. Margaret and Cliff partner with Rebecca and Albus, Rose and Frederick partner with Scorpius and Chelsea." The professor read out. I cringed, as did most people in the class. She has an annoying habit of refusing to shorten our names. And an even more annoying habit is for her to pair us with the most awkward people. Scorpius (who's getting weirder by the second) and Chelsea Oxford (don't even get me re-started.)

"Hi Rose!" Chelsea said to me as we claimed a four-sided table. She's opposite me of course, with the lads sat opposite each other. I know she hates my guts because I'm closer to Scorpius and Freddie than she'll ever be, but she's super-bitch because she's nice as Nana Molly's cherry pie to my face.

Grrrr. God I hate women. And men. And children actually. I hate everything. Except cats… I like cats.

"Hey Chelsea!" I said even more enthusiastically after letting my brain take a little wander off by itself. Take that, bitch. Her smile dropped a few degrees but she hitched it back on her face, cheerier than ever.

I know I shouldn't hate a girl who's about half my size (she's dress size 6, five foot 2. Not that I stalk her or anything) but I _loathe_ her. She's got bottle blonde hair and emerald green eyes and absolutely perfectly pale skin, like the kind you get on facial scrub adverts (no spots, no blemishes, and no imperfections.)

And I hate her for it.

Well actually I _also _hate her because she hates Sarah. The two of them used to be best friends in Forth year, but when Sarah started to get a lot more male attention and Chelsea was overlooked, she started to up her game and openly flirt with Sarah's boyfriends. So obviously the two of them fell out. And when they did, Chelsea began trying to spread rumours about Sarah. So no one looked her way for all of two days (vicious rumours couldn't keep the infatuated lads of Hogwarts at bay for long apparently), at which point James put a stop to the rumours by asking Sarah out. Because if _**the**_James Potter was going out with anyone she was bound to be completely flawless in every way, since he's so damn picky. And somehow after that, every lad in the whole school forgot about the rumours and Sarah now has the entire male population of Hogwarts (seriously, you should see the Gryffindor table at Valentines Day) after her.

And here _I_ am, with heartbreak behind me and a dysfunctional friendship with Scorpius about to get worse.

Such is life.

"Right, now I've explained what you have to do, you can get on with it!" Professor Middleton said from the front of the room. I snapped back to reality and realised that I haven't been listening to a word she's just said. Freddie is looking at me. Scorpius is looking at me. And Chelsea was scowling at me but quickly turned that frown upside down now she's realised I'm looking straight back into her eyes.

"I'm sorry I wasn't listening to a word she's just said. What potion are we making?" I asked brightly. Freddie laughed heartily.

"Amortentia." Scorpius said quietly as he cracked frozen Ashwinder eggs over the side of our joint cauldron.

Now really, what are the chances of having _that_ potion, with _this_ potions group?

Steam is soon rising up in characteristic spirals from our potion (which Chelsea added nothing to by the way) and my nostrils were filled with the smell of the woody scent of the cabin and the forbidden forest – the place in school I am happiest. I went to get some dried basil to add to the potion and when I got back I could distinguish the scent that is home underneath the earthy smell. The smell of the hot embers of fire mingled with my mother's perfume and the unmistakable smell of the roses she plants in the garden. There's another smell in there that I can't quite place but I know well; a masculine smell that makes my knees weak. The same dazed look has come across the face of Scorpius that I know must be reflected on my own, and looking around the room I see the same look on James' face, Sarah's face, Danny's face, Becky's and Dom's...well everyone's.

"Very good you lot!" Professor Middleton said, carrying a clipboard as she looks over our potion and inhales.

"Very good indeed. What can you all smell?" She asked.

Did I forget to mention that she asks the most embarrassing questions?

"I can smell coconut hair conditioner, mint chewing gum and the new GucciWitch perfume" Chelsea said quickly, inhaling deeply. The teacher noted this down (I have no idea why, perhaps she's writing a book titled 'How to Make Your Students Squirm in 5 Easy Steps!') and looked at Freddie.

"Erm, I can smell the grass after rain, the treacle tart we get here and chlorine." He said uncomfortably. I looked at him. Chlorine?

Strange manchild.

Then I realised the professor was now looking at me. Oh hells bells.

"The smell of the forbidden forest, the smell of my home, and an aftershave I think. But that might be someone that has it on too strongly." I said shrugging. Middleton smiled but Chelsea looked at me snottily.

"_I_ can't smell any aftershave" She said, looking at me with an evil, smug glint in her eyes.

"Well maybe my senses are better than yours." I said, staring right back. She folded her arms, dropping all fake smiles, and looked at Scorpius, who looked uncomfortable.

"I can smell…" He leant over the potion, eyes closed. "…the smell of pine trees and the smell of roses. And a kind of warm cooking-y smell that I associate with my friend's grandmother's house." He said, looking confused. I knew that smell; it's the smell of the Burrow. "Oh, and my father's aftershave." He added in a tiny voice.

"Roses?" The professor asked quizzically.

"Yeah" He said blushing. Oh dear God. This teacher is like hell on legs.

"Rose smells of roses - how cliché - maybe you can smell her instead of the potion?" Chelsea asked maliciously, enjoying watching Scorpius and me squirm.

"You usually do Rosie. But not today as much." Freddie commented casually. Scorpius turned a darker shade and leaned into smell me.

"Yeah she doesn't smell of anything today." He replied before leaning into the potion again.

"Must be the roses in the potion you can smell then" Chelsea said, smiling deviously.

Scorpius nodded. I was blushing too.

"Ok, well I'll leave you guys to it. Divide your potion into phials and label them clearly! We don't want anyone drinking this thinking it's an antidote do we!" She said laughing and tottering off to see James and Sarah.

"Nutter, that one." Freddie said, looking incredulously at our retreating teacher. I nodded fervently and began pouring out potion.

"Rosie I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now. There's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend. I wondered if you wanted to come out with me for a few hours. It doesn't have to mean anything if you don't want it to..." Freddie said would-be nonchalantly. Chelsea gaped unflatteringly and Scorpius, who was holding the phial that I was pouring liquid into, dropped it on the floor. It smashed and Amortentia bubbled steadily across the flagstones.

"Scorpius!" I chastised, mainly to avoid answering Freddie, who looked genuinely anxious to hear my answer. I bent to help him clear everything up.

"What should I say?" I whispered desperately, staring at Scorpius with wide blue eyes.

"Why do you want to know what I think, Rose? I'm not your best friend anymore to you, just a bloke you shagged and then ignored." He hissed. Just as I straightened up numbly, the bell went.

"Yes. I'd love to go into town with you on Saturday." I said, stiffening my spine as I felt Scorpius straighten up behind me.

"Great!" He said eagerly. "It's a date!" He said more casually before packing his bags up and leaving me and Scorpius alone. Sarah, Becky, Dom, James, Al and everyone else would grab enough food for all of us and meet us down at the cabin.

"Another wise decision from the amazing Rosie." Scorpius said mockingly. I grabbed my handbag and waited for him to grab his rucksack.

"Look, Scor. I don't really understand what you want me to do." I hissed as we walked to the cabin together, slowly.

"We had drunken sex when I wasn't thinking straight. I'm not going to lie to you; I didn't know what I was doing. But it doesn't mean we can't forget all about it and be best friends like we were before!" I argued pleadingly when he didn't reply. He looked at me searchingly as we exited the entrance hall and made our meandering way down around the lake to our cabin. He hadn't said anything for the last ten minutes and I was starting to worry before he opened his mouth...

"I know Rosie." He sighed finally. "I'm sorry I've been a bit funny with you the past few weeks." He said apologetically. I nodded.

"It's fine. I just want us to forget all about it."

"Did it mean anything to you?" He spluttered after a few minutes silence, sounding like a long mental battle had ensued before he had asked it. I stopped beside the lake and looked at him, wrapping my scarf tightly around my neck to avoid the chilly breeze that was whipping my hair around my face. His hands were deep in his pockets and he was looking at his feet, cheeks pink from cold.

"Oh, Scor... Of course it meant something. I count you as one of my best friends, but best friends shouldn't share something like that." I said carefully, hoping to word it just right.

He nodded slowly, looking out over the lake thoughtfully and after a few minutes he cleared his throat in a masculine way and we continued on our way to the cabin, his arm intertwined with mine.

* * *

><p><strong>Come on guys, it only takes a second to tell me what you think so far. It would really help me out a lot :) This story is also on hpff if you want to see photos to go with the story! I had a great response to the animagus idea, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, please keep them coming :D<strong>

**-Sarita x**


	5. Chapter 4: Kiss The Girl

**Chapter 4: Kiss the Girl**

Friday night arrived nice and quickly, and there I was, 9.00 at night, with Becky, Sarah and Dom, preparing my clothes for my date the next day. We'd finally decided on a moss green dress with white polka dots. Becky was going to style my hair tomorrow, pulling the two front/side bits back and accessorising with a white ribbon. I was borrowing a pair of Sarah's white kitten heel slingbacks and the girls were all going to help me do my makeup since they knew becoming friends (or more) with Freddie was very important to me.

First cut is the deepest, so they say.

But anyway, the girls are chatting away now, Sarah sat on her bed and curled up with a hot water bottle and a bar of Honeydukes finest (oh the joys of period pain) while Becky was sat on the end of Sarah's bed, pinching her chocolate when she wasn't looking. I'm getting into my PJ's and Dom was taking her makeup off.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow? Are you going to be together again?" Dom asked, slightly muffled because she had her mouth in an 'o' to get the mascara from under her eyes. I look down at my fairly new pyjama top, which felt a lot tighter around the chest than usual.

"Rosie, what's up?" Becky asked, abandoning her split ends (which she was trying to repair using magic) and looking up to see my puzzled expression.

"It's my boobs, they're huge!" I spluttered without thinking. Dom looked up from her cross-legged position on the floor by the full length mirror while Sarah chewed thoughtfully as she weighed up the difference.

"I think Sarah's still got the edge, Ro…" Dom said uncertainly as she looked between us. I waved her off impatiently.

"I know that, it's not a competition. But they have grown loads in the past week haven't they?" I asked, staring at them under my top. Becky nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose they have actually." Sarah said, her eyes narrowing in thought.

"You're a growing girl. You're due on next week or something aren't you?" Dom dismissed, turning back to her eye make up remover.

Becky returned to her split ends, as if hearing someone else say it confirmed her own thoughts, but Sarah popped another piece of chocolate in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully, staring at her duvet. I forgot about my breasts then, Dom having calmed me down. A hundred thoughts had run through my mind when I saw my melons, the most ludicrous being that someone had put some kind of spell on me or something. But like she said, I'm still growing, my weight is bound to fluctuate and I'm due on next week. Hmm.

* * *

><p>We all slept well that night, after watching a few chick flicks like we do every Friday night. Sometimes we sneak into the boy's dorm and have a movie night, but Sarah didn't feel like getting out of bed when she was under the covers so we just stayed where we were, transforming my bed into a flat screen T.V. like we do every time.<p>

"Morning, sunshine." I said to Becky as she crawled out of bed and towards where I stood in the doorway of our en suite, looking like she's been dragged through a hedge backwards.

"Meh." She mumbled incoherently. She's not a morning person. In fact, none of us are apart from Dom, who's already gone down to breakfast, bed made and area tidy.

What a weirdo.

"Give." Becky mumbled, holding her hand out for the moisturiser that my mum bought me last year for Christmas, her eyes half open. I gave it to her absentmindedly as I massaged foundation into my cheeks and dusted some pretty pink blusher over the apples of my cheeks. My eyes are already done, with liquid liner and mascara and a little bit of brown eyeshadow contouring my lids.

"You look good." Becky said thoughtfully, rubbing in a line of foundation on my jaw line for me.

"Thanks" I said, smoothing my dress nervously and looking into the room, where Sarah was sleeping.

Her covers were around her knees and her arms were above her head, hair everywhere. She's a really violent sleeper; she once threw a vase full of flowers at Dom _in her sleep _whenshe had a nightmare and thought she was beating off a demon or an evil marshmallow or something. Which is why I don't believe it's _ever_ a good idea to piss her off, because if she could do that in her sleep then I know full well she could do worse in waking hours.

In fact we're all damn hard women. I used to have trouble with some Slytherin lads in the year above, taking the piss out of my dark red and at the time frizzy hair. That is until James stepped in and reminded them who we all were related to, and that James could knock them out if the need arose.

Unsurprisingly, I wasn't bothered by them again

Dom used to get teased by the Parkinson twins and their posse of bitches a few years back because she was so thin with no curves. Even now she has tiny breasts and no bum, but we helped her see that she was pretty enough to get away with it. It's not her fault; Aunt Fleur is exceedingly slim, but she's so pretty nobody notices that she's got mosquito-bite boobs. As for Becky, she never really has trouble with people; she's the kind of person that everyone has a tendency to like, although she rarely likes them back. But Sarah still has her problems with _some_ guys. Most if not all are too busy checking out her goods, but some are cheeky. I remember a few times she got taunts from lads for her height. Let me tell you, she had absolutely no problem putting them in their place, and every single one of them was shorter than her. Coincidence? I think not.

"Oi chick, are you really that tall or are you on stilts?" One of the Slytherin lads had shouted as we walked past, Sarah stood straight and proud and graceful. She turned towards him, 6 feet of pure hormonal woman staring him down.

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me…" The boy mumbled as she walked towards his table, face set into a mask of indifference.

She stood over him, towering over his friends as well while me, Dom and Becky stared.

"Don't worry love... just as soon as you hit puberty, you'll start to grow, too." Sarah said with a sympathetic smile, turning on her heel and strutting away, tossing her hair, to laughter from us and even the boy's mates.

And another time she and James were walking through the great hall.

"Oi Big Bird! What's the weather like up there?" A short but cocky Hufflepuff said, trying to look her up and down but eyes stopping determinedly on her breasts.

James looked at the lad and snaked his arm around Sarah's waist. He then saw which part of her the boy was looking at and before Sarah said anything (her mouth was open, ready to burst with a witty retort) James spat on the boy's head.

"Looks like rain to me" James said, while Sarah held her hand out mockingly and looked at the ceiling for rain. The pair then walked off, to applause and cheers from the crowd that had gathered. That was the talk of the school for a good few months, let me tell you.

"There." Becky said triumphantly. I looked in the mirror, having snapped out of my memories. I have a tendency to start random flashbacks up when I'm nervous or bored. She had pulled two bits of my hair back and put the white ribbon in to hold it in place.

"You look great" She said proudly.

"Yeah you do, Ro" Sarah said groggily from her bed. She was rubbing her eyes as she sat up, hair already falling into natural, pretty wavelets. She had no makeup on this morning but she was still beautiful, and curse Satan and his hundreds of cat babies, I hated it.

"Cheers chickens." I said, turning to the mirror as Sarah sat up further for her traditional weekend lie-in (or sit in) and picked up a magazine. Becky sat on the edge of one of the baths (there are six side-by-side baths in our en suite so we can all bathe at the same time, with curtains separating them.)

"Morning girlies!" Dom said brightly, coming into our dorm, carrying all our post and about fifty pieces of toast. She was followed by James and Danny. God knows how they get up our stairs, but somehow they manage it.

"Hello darrrrling" James purred, jumping onto Sarah's bed as she flicked the page. He lay next to her before she caught sight of Danny's expression. She quickly hopped out of bed, leaving James to look more than a little put-out as she kissed her boyfriend.

"Morning." She grinned as he hugged her, smiling too. James caught sight of me then and wolf whistled.

"Got a date, little ducky?" He asked knowingly. I don't know what his obsession with farmyard poultry is today but James has had a lot of weird phases. Like the time he would eat nothing but tinned pineapple.

Happy days.

"Yeah. With Freddie" I smiled, putting my earrings in.

"Freddie?" James asked incredulously.

"Yep." I said. He sat up and picked up Sarah's abandoned magazine, probably to throw at me. He knows how much of a mess I was when we broke up. However he opened it, shaking his head.

"Where have my boobs gone?" He said suddenly, looking intently at the magazine. We laughed, Danny actually cracked a smile. Well, stone the crows!

"What?" Sarah asked.

"It says it in here; a witch cursed her boobs off!" James said holding up the magazine. Sarah shook her head with a smile and turned back to Danny.

"You look amazing, even in the morning." Danny said quietly in Sarah's ear as they ate toast. Dom leapt onto Sarah's bed with James and took the magazine out of his hands as he stared at Danny, ready to hurl it.

Sarah laughed.

"Like hell I do." She said scornfully. Like most of the world's most beautiful girls, she just doesn't see it. I looked at the alarm clock on my bedside table and nearly had a heart attack. Picking up my tiny white handbag and a few pieces of toast, I hurried to the door.

"Right you dossers, I've only got five minutes to get downstairs and eat this. Toodle pip! Stay in school, don't do drugs!" I yelled over my shoulder as I hurry out of the room, to a chorus of 'Good luck's and 'have fun!'

* * *

><p>"Hello Freddie. Sorry, you have no idea how hard it is to run down seven flights of stairs in kitten heels." I complained, putting a hand on his shoulder for added balance as I used the other to adjust the already uncomfortable heels. I glanced around the entrance hall, watching people filing out.<p>

"There. All better" I say brightly as he grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Rosie you look great." He said, kissing my cheek. I blushed and I feel someones eyes on the back of my head. As I turned and met the eyes of Scorpius, I'm not really surprised. He looked annoyed as he and a gaping Albus walked by and I sighed.

"You ok? Ready to go?" Freddie asked, looking nervous, as if he thinks I'll pull a sickie on him or something.

"I'm fine and dandy, let's offski!" I said cheerily.

Let's _offski? _I hang around with James far too much.

Instead of having the normal human reaction to me (running for the hills and screaming) he laughed and took my hand as we walked out into the grounds.

* * *

><p>"Please tell me we're going to avoid my dad's pub." I said as Freddie led me through the side streets, both of our other hands holding now tiny lollies he bought us from Honeydukes about an hour ago. I finished mine and tossed it into the nearest bin while Freddie wrapped his in its packaging and put it in his jacket pocket.<p>

Maybe I should have mentioned the fact that my parents own a pub here in Hogsmeade called The Basilisk Fang where a pub called the Hog's Head used to be. I forget why they called it that, whenever I ask dad he just smiles at mum nostalgically and mumbles something about their first kiss. But anyway, mum doesn't work there except in the holidays and the odd weekend since she works for the ministry full time, but dad has flexible hours so he divides his time between the two. Teddy Lupin works there too, and dad holds a Christmas/New Years party there every year, rain or shine, with all the 'old crowd' like mum, dad, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry (who helps out behind the bar, too) Professor Longbottom and his wife Hannah, Auntie Luna and Rolf and even Draco Malfoy and Astoria come along for the annual party.

See, the thing with Draco Malfoy and my parents kind of sorted itself out when my mum and Astoria Malfoy became work partners and then were bridesmaids for a mutual friend. The rest is history, and they're really good friends now, meeting for lunch most weeks to discuss a project or a new legislation or Rob from the office or how much they are both in love with house elves. So when mum pushed dad to invite the Malfoy's to the annual party, dad could hardly say no. Me and Scorpius were hardly annoyed; we spend most of our time together anyway and all our school crew is all there so it's just like a real party.

Anyway, we walked past and Freddie stopped outside it and looked at me, eyebrows raised.

"Why? Don't you want them to know we're dating again?" He asked, looking at the pub, which we've stopped right in front of.

"Well it's our first date, I don't even know where this is going..." I said, fiddling with the hem of my dress.

"I do" Freddie says, leaning down slightly and kissing me, softly at first but eventually deepening it. Oh this is familiar…and oh so dreamy…

"Rosie? Is that you?" A familiar voice called out from behind us. I spun on the spot to see Teddy Lupin stood on the doorstep of dad's pub, cleaning a beer pitcher.

"Teddy!" I said happily, running forward a few metres to hug him. Today he's got bright auburn hair and unreal river green eyes, like Uncle Harry's, but usually it's a pretty dark sand colour and his eyes are usually a misty blue hue. He's truly gorgeous, but I suppose I would be if I could choose how I could look.

"Ro, I thought your mum had raised you not to kiss strange boys in the middle of the street." Teddy mock scolded, craning his neck to see who it was I was kissing.

"Hello Ted," Freddie said politely, coming to stand next to me and shoving his hands in his pockets. Teddy eyed Freddie cautiously.

Teehee - Teddy and Freddie. Oh rhyme, you funny mistress.

"Hello Freddie. I didn't know you two were an item again," Teddy said, surprise in his voice.

"Neither did we until very recently," I replied, clasping my hands behind my back and smiling at Freddie, bouncing on my (Sarah's) heels.

"Shall I get your dad? He's inside?" Teddy asked, half smiling at us.

"No! No, don't disturb him. We were just going back up to the school anyway. I started to feel sick in Honeydukes." I explained hurriedly. Teddy nodded.

"You felt sick? But Honeydukes is your favourite place in the world…you used to just sit in there for hours while I tried to keep James and Cousin Fred from nicking anything that wasn't nailed down." He said quizzically, laughing afterwards at the memory. I shrugged, swinging my arms.

"Well there's been a bug at school doing the rounds, I probably picked it up, knowing my luck" I sighed, looking at the sky, which was turning pink with sunset.

"Ok, well owl me soon, yeah?" Teddy said, patting my arm and shaking Freddie's hand. "I won't tell Uncle Ron I saw you two out today" He added, winking. I grinned and took Freddie's hand again.

"Cheers, Teddy. See you soon. I'll write to you as soon as something interesting happens." I said, glancing through the window into the pub, where I could see my dad vaguely, wiping down the counters with a rag, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"See you, Ro. Don't forget to keep me posted on the family, and the shifting." He laughed, before hugging me and waving with his dishcloth as I nodded and Freddie and I carried on up the slope that lead to Hogwarts.

"I didn't know you were still animagus-ing." He said after a few moments of silence.

"We call it shifting, love." I laughed. "And yeah, our whole gang still does it. We've got half the family hooked now." I grinned, looking up at the sky, which was turning a pretty mauve colour.

"Ah good." He replied, looking at the clouds above the castle too. There was another comfortable silence as we entered the Hogwarts grounds.

"Look Ro." Freddie said, stopping. "In case I didn't get to tell you later, I've had an amazing day today, you haven't changed a bit." He said, grinning and taking both my hands as he stood opposite me.

"Thanks. I had lots of fun too." I smiled.

"The thing is… I want to do this again. I want to start seeing you again." Freddie said nervously. I thought for a moment.

"Why don't we just play it by ear?" I said after a while. I didn't want to commit myself to something I didn't know I could handle again. I needed an escape route.

"Ok then. How does next Saturday sound? Same time, same place." Freddie said, smiling wider and showing off rows of dentist-advertisement teeth.

"That sounds great." I said, without giving my brain time to answer for me. I knew what I wanted now.

"Good. I wouldn't have it any other way…" He replied, edging closer and kissing me passionately, his soft familiar mouth moving against mine. My fingers found his soft wavy hair, and his found mine and as the sun set behind the clouds, I didn't see a furious Scorpius turn and head through the castle doors and into Hogwarts.

* * *

><p><strong>So what did you think? I hope you liked the pub idea; I was thinking about that one for a while and decided it tied in with everything :) Please review - it means so much to me! -Sarita x<strong>


	6. Chapter 5: Maybe

**Chapter 5: Maybe **

The next week was passing slowly and without event for me. Unless of course you count a huge load of homework. Which I don't. For Sarah, however, things were going in quite the opposite direction.

"Good morning!" Sarah sang that morning as we ate breakfast in the hall on Thursday.

Scorpius and Al were chatting away merrily as they ate their toast a few seats away, and Dom and Becky weren't up yet. In fact I was only up because I was feeling as though I was going to throw up any second and was watching everyone eat with what must be a nauseated expression. James, however, looked up from opposite where Sarah and I now sat, and his eyes lit up as bright as stars. Amy looked up at her from beside him and then a very ugly look appeared on her face.

"It was." She muttered, ripping a slice of toast in half and chewing fiercely. James looked at her in disbelief and indignation.

"Excuse me?" Sarah said uncertainly. However there was a cold edge to her voice that plainly warned Amy not to continue. Unfortunately for her, she either ignored it or didn't hear it.

"Well, you come down every morning, you sit in front of _my_ boyfriend and parade yourself around like you're some kind of a Veela. It quite pathetic, honey and not _at all_ desirable." Amy said in a mock sympathetic tone and patting Sarah on the hand. Sarah stared at the girl for a moment, not believing her ears. My own ears were turning red; I was sure I was going to hit this girl!

"How _dare _you!" Sarah hissed dangerously, setting down the knife and fork that was about to cut her kippers.

Perhaps it was the word 'Veela' which had particularly touched a nerve with Sarah. Her maternal grandmother was a Veela and Sarah kept her heritage very quiet, since she was not your 'usual' part-Veela, what with having thick_ dark_ hair, a healthy tan and hourglass curves. She'd kept it a secret from everyone at school apart from me and James, for fear that if Dom knew it might put her nose out of a joint a little bit. Seeing as Dom was eternally cursing the fact that her Veela bloodline had reached her older sister and mother but not her, it was probably for the best that Dom didn't know. I put a steadying hand on Sarah's arm, which was shaking in rage.

"Well come on, you know it's true!" Amy said, folding her arms and glaring across the table at my friend.

James had taken his own arm from around her waist and was staring at his girlfriend as if he'd never seen her before. Albus and Scorpius had stopped speaking suddenly and were looking between the two girls with apprehensive faces. Albus was openly glaring at Amy.

"Your boyfriend is not my current love interest." Sarah replied icily, without looking at James. "But he's one of my friends, if not my best friend, and not you or anyone else is going to stop me from speaking to him or seeing him."

"You hear that James? _She's not interested in you like that anymore_. So you can stop pining over her like a disgusting lovesick puppy!" Amy hissed at James, who was looking half hurt and half delighted at Sarah's words. And just like that, she flounced from the table and hall, leaving us to watch her retreating back.

"Well James, you really know how to pick them," I said, still in shock and staring at the place where Amy had disappeared. But James wasn't listening. He was watching Sarah's retreating back as she too stormed from the hall, leaving her breakfast untouched.

* * *

><p>After our lessons that day, Albus and I were walking through the library and putting back some books we had borrowed for revision and discussing the strange and unprovoked attack on Sarah that morning. Sarah had been fuming all day, and double potions had been a nightmare, with Sarah and Amy openly glaring at each other from across the table they shared with James, Danny and I. What a brilliant seating plan, eh?<p>

"Did you see the weird look Danny and Amy had the other day when James introduced her?" I asked Albus as we strolled leisurely down the library isles, shoving books back into their places as we went.

"No, I didn't. I think there's something funny about her though; she _really_ doesn't like Sarah and she's been nothing but nice to her!" Albus said, perplexed.

"Well you know girls. They tend not to like Sarah." I shrugged, as if it was obvious. Albus still looked confused.

"But why? I think she's lovely…" He said, as if uncertain that he was right about thinking that.

"She is. But have you seen her lately?" I said, rolling my eyes. Albus pushed up his glasses and shoved a battered copy of _'Famous Goblin Rebellions from 1605-1905' _back on its shelf.

"Yeah…" He said, thoroughly confused now. He's a very smart boy, but the female mindset is not his forte.

"OK, what do you notice about her looks?" I asked, trying to help him spell it out without sounding completely patronising. Albus raised an eyebrow as if to ask 'where is this going?'

"Well she's drop-dead gorgeous, but anyone with eyes can see that…" He said uncertainly, before I nodded and threw out my hands.

"Exactly: 'Anyone with eyes.' Well girls have eyes, don't we?" I asked. Albus nodded slowly, wondering whether that was a trick question.

"What's this got to do with why girls don't like Sarah?" He asked as we came to the end of our aisle and began making our way up the next.

"_Jealousy!" _I said, exasperated.

"Ahhh." Albus said, nodding thoughtfully. "Yeah that would explain it."

And so the knut drops.

* * *

><p>The rest of the night passed without event. Sarah had decided not to tell Danny about her run-in with Amy, and the rest of us followed suit. She and Danny were currently over with Albus and Scorpius at the Slytherin table and they were all animatedly discussing quidditch, judging by Albus' excited gesticulation. The rest of us sat with a sulky James and an irate Amy, who stabbed at her food viscously and kept looking across the hall at Sarah and Danny, who were kissing passionately.<p>

"Hey James." Amy hissed in my cousins' ear, so quietly that I could barely hear it from where I sat opposite them. James looked up from the food he had been half heartedly pushing around his plate.

"You want to see some proof from earlier?" Amy said, grinning evilly. My hands tightened on my cutlery; what a _cow!_

"Not particularly." James said, looking back down at his food miserably. Dom kicked me hard under the table as I made to throw my fork in her eye.

"Look." Amy said, leaning towards James and pointing to where Sarah was characteristically laughing merrily at something Albus was saying, her hand on Danny's leg. Just as we all watched, Danny turned towards his girlfriend and kissed her full on the mouth as she smiled and kissed him back. James stared for a moment as if in a trance and I could see something inside him break.

"You see? She'll never love you again, you'd be wasting your life and love if you kept pining for her like this…I'm the only one who will ever _need_ you back…" Amy was crooning into James' ear soothingly, stroking the back of his neck and not realising I could hear them.

"That's enough. James, bed!" I said commandingly and stood up, scowling down at Amy, who looked up rather shocked. James still hadn't torn his sad eyes away from Sarah and Danny, who were grinning at each other. James took my hand and I hoisted him up, as he stared after Sarah.

"James, she's just _awful_, why are you with her?" I said in disgust as we traipsed up the stairs towards the common room.

"Because when I'm with her, it pisses Sarah off." James said honestly, turning towards me with expressionless eyes.

"Well - hang on, what? You don't like Amy at all?" I asked, nonplussed. James shook his head.

"It's still Sarah, Rosie. It's always been her, since I first saw her standing at the station when I was twelve, and it'll be her until I'm one hundred and fifty seven or however long I live." James said as I gave the Fat Lady the password ('Periwinkle') and entered the common room to find it practically deserted. We took refuge in the squishy armchairs by the fire and James rubbed his temples.

"So you're with _that girl_ to get back at Sarah?" I asked incredulously.

"Yep. After all, that's why she's with Danny isn't it? To make me jealous?" James asked.

Oh God, how the hell was I going to break _this_ to him?

"No, mate. She's with him because she likes him. You're just a very possessive, jealous little fuckwit." I said. I would have tried to tread carefully, but boys don't pick up hints. James looked at me.

"I prefer to look as it as 'a man in love'" James sighed. "Essentially yes, though. But she hates Amy…that must mean she still loves me, right?" He asked, confused. The Potter boys are not blessed in working out women and their reasoning.

"I don't think so. She hates Amy because Amy as good as called her an attention seeking slag this morning." I said simply, pointing my wand randomly at the fire and turning the flames blue, then pink, then green.

"See, I didn't understand that this morning. I thought Sarah had provoked Amy into saying that stuff. But at least my explanation was an explanation…what's Amy's excuse for being a bitch to Sarah?" James asked.

Was I really going to have to explain this again to another of the Potter's in less than five hours? Uncle Harry will be flooing me soon trying to find out all the teenage drama.

"Girls don't like Sarah generally do they?" I asked. James shook his head.

"She gets all the best lads." He said winking. I love it when that happens; even when he's really upset he's always being cheeky or cracking jokes.

"Well yeah but other than that?" I prompted after a quick chuckle.

"She's beautiful? And smart and funny and good in b-" James spluttered hurriedly.

"Whoa. OK well you hit the nail on the head: She's _beautiful_. Now if it's one thing that's threatening to other girls then its _real_ beauty. Come on, you've seen how many heads turn wherever she is." I said exasperatedly. James nodded slowly.

"So Amy is jealous of Sarah because she's a knockout, but if I shower Amy with affection and all that jazz, then Sarah will be jealous and come back to me?" James asked, his eyes lighting up. Oh crap he really doesn't understand this. I looked into his eyes.

"Maybe. _Maybe_!" I stressed as James jumped to his feet, kissed my cheeks and did a sort of victory dance.

"Now I have a plan! Thanks Ro!" He said, bounding off to his dormitory without another word. I sat with my head in my hands for a bit, and then with a twinge in my stomach and a wave of strong nausea, I decided an early night was a good idea for me as well and slouched up the steps to my warm, inviting bed.

* * *

><p>I didn't have time to think at 6.30 the next morning. I just ran into the bathroom as quick as my tired legs could carry me and next thing I knew, all the food from the previous day was coming back up the way it came. I retched for a further ten minutes before Dom padded into the en suite quietly in a pair of nana Weasley's homemade socks (which were so thick they could almost stand up by themselves.) She squatted down next to me and expertly scraped the hair away from my face and tied it into a bun at the back of my neck as I threw up the contents of my stomach once again and she muttered soothing words and stroked my head. About twenty minutes later, eyes watering and having been joined by Sarah and Becky, who were bleary eyed and tousle-haired, I was sent back to bed by Becky, who said there was no point me even trying to go to lessons today and while they got ready, I got back into bed, completely exhausted and fell instantly asleep. I was woken up at about midday by Scorpius, who had somehow gotten into our dorm and was carrying a tray laden with food. Now that I'd been sick I actually realised I was quite hungry and sat up quickly and decided that after lunch I definitely wanted a shower.<p>

"Hey Ro, you all right? Sarah told me you were sick this morning, you're OK now though?" He asked, perching on the end of my bed and handing me the tray. He had given me all my favourite foods; four sausage sandwiches and six rashers of bacon loaded with ketchup.

"Yeah, I'm better now. I can't walk very far now though because I feel so weak, and I'm in desperate need of a shower so I'll have to wait until one of the girls comes up later." I said thickly, picking up a whole rasher of bacon and shoving it into my mouth.

Scorpius pinched one of my sausage sandwiches and dipped it in my ketchup, and I didn't bat an eyelid as I reached for one myself. I could hardly begrudge him a bit of food since he was giving up his lunch break to come and see me.

"Well…No, never mind." Scorpius said, chewing thoughtfully and waving it away with a gesture of his hand.

"What?" I asked. It probably wasn't healthy to wolf down this much food so fast but I didn't realise quite how hungry I was; I only got through two mouthfuls of dinner last night and this morning I had brought everything up so I think I was probably well within my rights to feel a bit peckish.

"Well could help you to the shower if you wanted?" Scorpius asked, smacking his lips and grabbing a rasher of bacon.

"Yeah OK." I said, pushing my tray towards him. He finished off the last bit of bacon and with a vague mutter of '_Scourgify_' the grease was gone.

"Come on then, you." Scorpius said, as I sat up. He the grabbed me and carried me bridal-style to the en suite and set me down on the closed toilet seat, ignoring my spluttered protests.

"I said help me, not carry me!" I protested.

"Oh shut it, pukey." Scorpius said with a grin, turning on the shower and handing me a towel.

"I can get dressed by myself, thanks." I said quickly, in case he got ideas.

"Yeah I know." Scorpius said, looking into my eyes searchingly.

"Thanks, though." I said, hoping he'd take this to mean 'I'm going to shower now, please leave.'

"Bye Rosie." He said, hugging me. Before he let go he brushed the hair away from my ear.

"It wasn't a mistake for me. I hope you know that." He breathed softly.

My spine was tingling and my knees were beginning to buckle at his combined touch and breath on my neck but in a moment he was gone, without looking back and I was left feeling more confused and alone than ever.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed quickly and once I had showered I found that I felt much better. Becky joined me the quickest after tea (which Lily had brought up to me), looking grumpy.<p>

"Hi Ro. You still puking?" She said, throwing herself onto her bed.

"Nope, I feel fine now." I said brightly. I hate being ill, and missing a day of school and lessons was actually _painful_. I have more of my mother in me than I thought.

"Good." She said as she pulled on her pyjamas and got straight into bed.

"Why are you up here so early?" I asked, checking my alarm clock, which read 8.30.

"I just felt like coming up here." She shrugged. I had the feeling she wasn't being entirely honest.

"Have you and Rich had a fight?" I asked timidly. She sometimes stays in his dormitory on the weekend, and it was Friday night.

"No." She said shortly. "It's just…complicated with him at the moment." She said swiftly, probably having noticed her last answer was overly defensive.

"Oh right." I said, not wanting to pry. She was one of my best friends; she'd tell me when she was ready. Becky looked as if she was going to say something else on the subject, but then Dom clambered into the dormitory.

"Hey Dom." I said. Becky closed her mouth quickly and smiled somewhat falsely at Dominique.

"Hi guys. God it's bedlam down there." She said moodily, sitting on her own four-poster bed.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Well for start, Sean and _that girl_ and all over each other like dragon pox, and then there's Sarah and Danny…" Dom said as she picked out some pyjamas.

"Uh oh, is James down there?" Becky asked.

"Yep. That's why it's so bad." Dom said grimly.

"What are they doing?" I asked quickly.

"Oh nothing too bad, he was just tickling her and they ended up kissing." Dom shrugged.

"As you do." Becky said with a slight smile.

"What did James do?"

"Well he acted like a total Victorian. Told her she shouldn't be snogging left right and centre." Dom said.

"But I suppose it was OK when she was snogging _him,_" I sighed.

"Oh of course. Anyway Danny got involved and told James that she could kiss whoever she wanted to, and so now the shit's really hitting the fan."

"Uh oh." I said. A strong sense of foreboding was creeping over me now.

"Exactly. It's getting pretty ugly down there, most people have already evacuated. Sean and his whore were just leaving." Dom said bitterly.

"Christ, James is kicking off about _this_? Imagine what'll happen when he finds out that Sarah and Danny are soon going to be…doing the mattress mambo" Becky said.

I snorted with laughter and Dom was doubled up for at least five minutes before she wiped her eyes and straightened up.

"In all seriousness, though, that is one conversation I do _not_ want to be a part of…" Becky said.

"Merlin, no." Dom said fervently.

"What do you think James'd do?" I asked.

"Well I'm pretty sure he'd make sure Danny lost his favourite addendum, put it that way." said Dom with a grim face.

"Can you imagine if he caught them at it?" Becky asked shuddering.

I imagined Sarah and Danny fooling around under the covers, and a livid James standing in the doorway, slowly changing different shades of red and I shuddered too.

"Now that's definitely a conversation_ I_ don't want to be part of!" I said anxiously. The girls nodded too and I hoped, for Danny's sake if nothing else, that James never, ever found out about him and Sarah…

* * *

><p>Saturday morning started off very much like Friday, with the contents of my stomach now swimming in the toilet. I was currently slick with sweat and knelt on the floor, retching violently. Sarah was the first to join me today, in one of James' old oversized T-shirts. She tied my hair up and patted my back sleepily.<p>

"Come on Ro." She said blearily after I had thrown up, leading me to the sink so I could brush my teeth meticulously. Afterwards she sat with me on the edge of one of the baths.

"What do you think is causing it?" I asked Sarah. She was staring straight ahead and took a deep breath while she thought. Maybe she was ticking off the possibilities of flu, the first symptoms of Vanishing Sickness etc.

"Now Rose, I don't want you to panic, but when did you last have sex? And I know your period is late because you haven't been stealing my tampons since you usually run out of yours." Sarah said slowly, turning to face me with deep oceanic eyes. It was as if someone had swung a heavy weight into my stomach.

"Four weeks ago tonight, at James' last party." I said after a few moments' thought, accepting the period comment. I hadn't even noticed I was late; I'd had quite a bit on my plate recently. But I wasn't stupid; I knew where she was going with this. And I knew what it added up to.

"With Scorpius?" She asked quietly.

"Yes. And I can't tell you whether we used contraception or not, because I was a little bit pissed." I said nervously, biting my nails.

"Well being sick in the mornings doesn't necessarily mean that you are…" She trailed off, rather than say the word 'pregnant'. "But I'll come with you into Hogsmeade today, OK? Me, you, Freddie and Danny can double date. And we can get a test at the apothecary there." She said calmly, patting my hand gently and leading me back into our room and setting me down on my bed, where I was left to consider the terrifying possibility that I could be pregnant…

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><p>Thanks for all the reivews, please keep it up! :D<br>-Sarita x


	7. Chapter 6: The Ugly Truth

**Chapter 6: The Ugly Truth**

It turned out that Freddie and I would not just be sharing our date with Sarah and Danny, but James and Amy (much to Sarah's fury) Becky and Rich, Albus, Hugo, Scorpius and Dom(who were all going as singletons) and Lily and Lorcan Scamander, who had starting dating a few weeks ago.

Sarah and I met our respective dates at the bottom of the stairs and while I told Freddie there had been a slight change of plans (and he laughed heartily) the gang arrived.

"Hello Hugo! Haven't seen you for a while, mate!" Freddie said, rushing over to my bemused brother. The two shook hands and Hugo came over to me while Freddie started an excited chat with Albus about the Ravenclaw – Hufflepuff match next week.

"Hi Rosie. Why didn't you tell me you were seeing him again?" He asked, jerking his thumb over to Freddie.

"I thought Lily'd told you." I said truthfully. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and I watched lazily. His hair was deep reddish brown, like mine, and wavy. He kept it mid-length and thick. He was good looking and pretty popular in his year, but the fact that he never made it onto the Quidditch team was always a source of irritation to him. He inherited mum's quidditch talent, which is to say that he is about as good at flying as a cheese sandwich.

"Right. I heard something had happened with you and Scorpius at Jay's party?" He asked, confusion in his tone.

"No, that was a one time kind of thing." I sighed, pulling my shirt further over my hips.

"Oh." He wrinkled his nose. "I don't want to know. Well where are we going? I wish Sarah had told me sooner we were going out today. I might've got a date." He said, flicking his hair out of his eyes once again. I looked at him incredulously. My kid brother? Interacting with those of the female species?

Get out of town!

"You?" I asked, trying not to sound unflattering. Me and Hugo had always been very close, although we'd fought like kneazles when we were younger obviously.

"Yeah, Ro. Me." Hugo said. Apparently I'm not good at not offending people.

"I didn't mean anything by it I just meant I didn't know you were interested in girls at your age!" I said, holding my hands up.

"Oh" He cleared his throat and grunted in what he probably hoped was a mature and masculine way.

"Well… I am." He said, looking behind me, eyes wide and keen. I looked behind and saw Sarah chatting away cheerfully to James, while Amy watched from a short distance, looking furious and Danny stood beside Sarah, eyes narrowed slightly at James, who was grinning madly.

"Well you can't be interested in that one. She's off the market" I said, with a wry smile.

"Why not?" He asked as I steered him away from Sarah (who was oblivious to yet another of my relatives eying her up) and towards where Lily and Lorcan stood, slightly awkwardly, holding hands (although stood apart) and deliberately not looking at each other, cheeks pink.

"Because a.) She has a boyfriend and b.) James is still madly in love with her." I sighed, "Hi guys!" I added, sounding brighter than I felt.

"Hello Ro!" Lily exclaimed in relief.

"Hey Rose. Hey Hugo." Lorcan said in his deep but dreamy voice.

Hugo watched me as I returned back to my friends, looking disgruntled but I would be seeing him all day; there was time to make up for my less-than-sisterly-and-in-fact-blunt behaviour. I crossed the entrance hall to find that everyone had divided into smaller groups. Becky was stood with Rich, trying to sort out his shirt, both of them frowning, while Sarah and Danny kissed a few metres away, more out of the way while James deliberately looked everywhere but at them and Amy stood, hand on hip and clicking her tongue in annoyance. Albus was chatting to Freddie still, and Scorpius was stood slightly away from them, on his own, since Dom had joined Lily, Lorcan and Hugo.

"You OK?" Scorpius said as I walked towards him. I nodded.

"Yeah, I just didn't know this many people were going to be coming today that's all. I thought it would be just a double date, but apparently we got the whole family." I sighed. I wasn't really annoyed; the more people came, the less noticed I was when I would slink off to do 'the test.'

And there was also the fact that I wouldn't swap my huge (mad) family for the world.

"Are we ready to go yet? Or are more of you lot going to pop up out of the woodwork?" Amy snapped at me. Scorpius, Albus and Lily opened their mouths angrily, but Sarah beat her to it, looking up from Danny.

"Changed target have you? Keep your bollocks on, we're going now." She said coolly, taking Danny's hand and leading us all out of the double doors. Lily laughed loudly at Amy (who was grinding her teeth at Sarah) as she walked past and I saw James grudgingly take his girlfriend's hand and lead her down into the ground, and towards Hogsmeade.

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><p>Freddie and I walked in comfortable silence down to the Three Broomsticks, holding hands and smiling at each other every so often. Sarah and Danny were walking with their arms around each other up ahead and I could hear Amy grumbling to James somewhere behind us. Lily and Dom were giggling and Becky was walking in silence beside Rich.<p>

Danny held the door open for Sarah and passed the handle to me with a smile as we traipsed in.

"James Potter! How're your parents? And little Rosie Weasley too! I haven't seen you two for a while, guys!" A female voice exclaimed as soon as everyone had taken our usual table at the back of the room and James and I had gone to get drinks.

"Hello?" I asked. The bar was crowded and neither James nor I could see who had spoken.

"It's me, m'lovelies. Aunt Hannah!" The woman cried and we turned to see the landlady, our 'Uncle' Neville's wife, smiling back at us from behind the bar, having abandoned her washcloth. We hugged her over the bar in turn, smiling in surprise. She doesn't always work out in the front of the bar, because she has a young daughter, Alice, but must work some days, when it's a busy day.

"How've you been?" She asked us.

"Fine!" James and I said in unison, through slightly forced grins; both knowing that neither of us was 'fine.'

"You?" I asked.

"Oh I'm rushed off my feet Rosie. What can I get you?" She asked hurriedly, eyeing a hag at the other end of the bar who was looking very impatient. Apparently, shady characters like hags never used to come in here, opting instead for the Hogs Head, but since my parents bought it, they decided here was the lesser of two evils. Much to Hannah's dislike.

"Oh, err…" James performed a quick headcount. "Fourteen Butterbeers please." He added. Hannah turned and accio-d some from behind the bar and passed them to me. James levitated a few over and I took some in my hands.

"Have a nice day, guys. Say hello to everyone from me… even your dad Rosie, although nowadays he takes most of my business!" She said mock-seriously. The effect was ruined by a cheeky wink and grin. I couldn't help but smiling back and took the drinks to the huge table at the back, which was out of the way of the rest of the bar.

"Here you go." I said, plonking the drinks down. James had taken his seat between Amy and an awkward-looking Sarah. Danny had his arm around her waist (honestly, does he ever let her go?) and Freddie was sat in the corner, beside Scorpius, who looked uncomfortable, and had saved me a space next to him.

"Cheers gorgeous." Freddie said as I tucked my hair behind my ear and sat down. The bar was loud, and everyone was chatting amongst themselves so Freddie looked at me with a twinkle in his eye. His arm crept around me and I sank into his body, eyes fluttering closed as he stroked my hair softly. I didn't care that I was in a crowded bar, or that Scorpius was on the other side of me, or even that I might have a…'little problem.' I was content at that exact moment, not knowing, and not wanting to know.

* * *

><p>At around lunchtime we ordered our food and ate in happy conversation and for once, there were no digs from Amy (and no witty response from Sarah) and no awkwardness between any of the group.<p>

"OK gang, Rose and I have to pop over to the apothecary for… spot cream for Becky while she gets us all some sweets from Honeydukes. See you in a bit!" Sarah said brightly when the conversation had died down slightly and we'd finished our food. Danny opened his mouth.

"I'll come with you if you want, babe?" He asked. James mimed puking, unseen by everyone but me and Lily, who nearly spat out the mouthful of Butterbeer she was drinking trying to stifle a laugh.

"Why? We're only buying spot cream after all." Sarah said quickly.

"Ah OK." Danny sighed, not looking particularly happy about being left with the family of doom.

"I'll come." James piped up, looking brightly up and Sarah, who had stood up.

"Why?" I asked.

"I need some shaving cream." He replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I'll get you some." Sarah said desperately.

"No I want to browse." James said, making to get up.

"I know your brand, come on Rose." Sarah said, false cheerily but looking panicked.

"I want a different one. See you freaks later." James said stubbornly, addressing the table and following us out of the bar. As soon as we stepped into the cold air, James put his arms around our shoulders.

"Right chicklets, what are you trying to put over on us?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, Sare. You're beautiful, but I can usually tell when you're lying to me."

"What has that got to do with her being beautiful?" I asked, frowning and smiling at the same time at his flawed logic.

"Nothing whatsoever, I just like to compliment her." He said, rubbing Sarah's shoulders and winking at us both in turn. Sarah laughed.

"You look like you're having a fit." She snorted, as we crossed the road to the apothecary and he continued to wink madly at us.

"You love it."

"Shut up, James." She laughed and he began poking her in the ribs as the tinkling bell and rush of warm air told us we had just entered the apothecary.

Sarah was trying to escape James and giggle silently at the same time so stuffed her knuckles into her mouth, ducking behind one of the shelves of 'Women's Pain Potion' to avoid the steely gaze of the witch on the till. James made sure she was crying with laughter before he straightened up and began following me around the shop, Sarah hot on our heels (once she'd gotten up from the floor that is.)

"Here are the tampons!" Sarah said loudly enough for James to turn a weird shade of pink and mumble something about shaving cream before turning tail and beetling to the other end of the large apothecary.

"OK, grab a test, buy it and find a toilet! I can buy you some more time, but only if I do a bit of flirting!" She said desperately. I grabbed the nearest pregnancy test and I was paying for it when I heard Sarah talking to James.

"You really don't need a different shaving cream. I _really_ like the smell of the other one. And it shaves so _close_!" She was saying as she touched his chin lightly to prove her point.

"Really?" James asked, his voice considerably deeper at her compliment. What is it with men that around Sarah they go all…manly and weird?

Oh yeah, beauty from heaven itself. Damn her.

"Well maybe I will buy the usual then…" I heard James grunt as the witch on the till directed me to a toilet.

The woman didn't look like the kind who would usually let randomers use the employee's toilet, but she must have seen the fear in my eyes.

Or maybe it was the pregnancy test she'd scanned that gave her the hint. Hmm.

It was along a short, narrow corridor and said 'EMPLOYEES ONLY' is large gold letters. I took a deep breath, my hand on the door and closed my eyes. I didn't do anything to steady my nerves, and I could still hear Sarah's very obvious flirting and James' masculine growls of pleasant surprise. My last wish before I opened the door was that he did not read too much into her words. The last thing any of us needed was him thinking she still loved him back. The door swung shut behind me with a quiet swish and I sat down in a handy chair beside the row of sinks. I realised I didn't know how to take this test and began reading the instructions:

**DIRECTIONS:**_ Swallow small purple potion (enclosed) followed by red and yellow potions IN ORDER. Wait for results._

I looked inside the box and found the purple potion. It was tiny and had '14ml' printed on its cap. I swallowed it, tasting overwhelming fake strawberry essence barely masking the taste of copper. I then gulped down the other two potions and waited. I re-read the instructions and realised I had no idea how the result would present itself. Just as I was beginning to panic, my stomach glowed blue through my shirt. I could sense something crawling up my throat and coughed instinctively. I opened the hand I had used to cover my mouth and found a small scroll of parchment, completely bone dry, there. I locked myself in the nearest cubicle and unrolled it carefully with shaking hands and began to read the miniscule letters that would be my downfall.

"_4 wks Pregnant_

_Mother: Rose Weasley, 17 years old._

_Father: Scorpius Malfoy, 17 years old."_

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><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews, keep it up! :) - Sarita x<strong>


	8. Chapter 7: That Bloody Party

**Chapter 7: That Bloody Party**

The next thing I knew, I heard someone tapping on the cubicle door gently over my sobs.

"Rose, love, you've been in there half an hour. I think it's time to come out." Sarah's voice said softly from the other side of the door. I was pacing the tiny cubicle pointlessly when I heard her voice, as if coming from a thousand miles away.

Someone rapped sharply on the door.

"Come out at once young lady!" a vaguely familiar female voice demanded shrilly. I recognised it as the voice of the woman behind the till.

"I think I had it covered, thanks." Sarah said politely but frostily. There was a clicking of heels on the faux-marble and a titter from the woman as she left the small bathroom.

"She's gone Ro. But she's giving us ten minutes to get out before she goes and gets your dad from the pub." Sarah sighed wearily from the other side of the door.

I hiccoughed myself into seriousness then and sat quickly on the closed toilet seat, to steady myself. The door swung open again. Had I blacked out, losing ten minutes?

"Is she all right?" James asked. No, I told myself numbly, I had not lost ten minutes; my cousin had come in to see me.

"She'll be fine." Sarah sighed.

Her voice was coming from a considerably lower level: she had slid down the other side of the cubicle door. For some reason, knowing this made me even more scared and my head sank into my hands, tears once again seeping from beneath my lashes.

"What's wrong with her? When will she be better?" James asked anxiously; an emotion I rarely heard in the voice of my happy-go-lucky cousin.

I felt rather than heard Sarah stand up again, taking a deep breath. I unlocked the cubicle door suddenly, standing up too. This wasn't her burden to bear, and certainly was not her duty to report the shocking news to James, who was generally carefree but often hot-headed when it came to the people he loved. He'd take it out on her, and she neither deserved it nor needed it right now.

I didn't know why I was all of a sudden being so matter of fact and calm, but any emotion was a good one as long as I wasn't crying.

"Ro!" James said with relief in his voice when he saw that I was obviously upset rather than at deaths door.

"So what's going on?" He asked again as I crossed the small room to the sinks and began redoing my makeup quite calmly.

I turned to him, my mouth open, trying to find the words to tell him exactly what was 'going on'.

"I'll tell him if you like?" Sarah said after a few seconds of my impression of a goldfish.

I began feebly to protest, internally feeling incredibly relieved and she held a hand up. She knew me far too well for her own good.

"Jay, sit down." She said gently, pointing to a wooden chair next to the row of sinks.

James looked between us, eyes narrowed.

"I'm fine where I am, thanks. Spill." He said stiffly, folding his arms suspiciously.

"I wasn't asking you. I was telling you." Sarah replied wearily. James took a seat slowly, knowing she wouldn't order him around unless the news was serious.

"Rose is pregnant." She said bluntly, without preamble. James stared between us.

"WHAT?" He yelled, jumping to his feet.

Hot-headed, didn't I tell you? He took a step towards me.

"Rose how could you be so fucking _stupid_?" He asked, looking furious. I could feel tears welling up again at his angry words. He was my cousin and one of my best friends in the world – if he wasn't on my side, who was?

"Jay, calm d-" Sarah began, holding her hands up in a 'stop' motion. James turned on her like a starved wolverine.

"Don't you tell me to calm down! You can back off!" He snapped at her. She didn't react, which was a first. She understood James bloody well too, it seemed. As if I didn't know that already.

"So... How could you have lost your mind long enough to go and get yourself up the duff then Ro? You're a smart girl." He asked, and although he had snapped at Sarah for saying so, he had pulled his anger in slightly; there had been a hint of plea in his voice.

"It takes two to tango!" I retorted, not just angry because he was angry with me, but angry that he had taken it out on Sarah. She might not have reacted to it, but I definitely had.

"Well who's your dance partner then?" James snapped back without missing a beat, taking my breath away. It would have been naïve of me to think he wouldn't ask who had gotten me 'up the duff', as James charmingly put it.

"The father is-" I began after a deep breath. Something made me stop in my tracks though. Saying 'the father' made this tiny clump of cells sound like a living, breathing person. Made it sound like it was already a child, a toddler or even a teenager. Like me; a child. I caught my breath slowly, Sarah's hand on my back, before the door swung open and the woman from the till stood there stiffly.

"Oh good, you're out. Are you ready to leave?" She said with relief in her otherwise pretty face.

"Yes." Sarah said quickly, since James appeared all for having a lock in.

We must have walked outside because one minute we were in the stuffy bathroom and the next we were in the chilly air, but I was walking around in a dream, in a huge bubble of denial. Because a small part of me thought 'this _can't_ be happening to you, Rose. You _are_ smart!' before I reprimanded myself, reminding myself that brains have nothing to do with fertility or the way you are when you're drunk.

After all, the smartest people in the world can act incredibly stupidly sometimes, just like even the dumbest people usually have at least a grain of wisdom in them.

"So, who's head am I kicking in, then?" James asked, digging his hands into his pockets and staring across at a robes shop across the road, avoiding eye contact with both of us. Sarah, I noticed, was twiddling a lock of her shiny mane around her finger distractedly; a habit of hers when she was under a lot of stress.

Once again I was about to tell him, when we were interrupted. I thanked god my makeup was looking practically perfect again, and the tiny lump in my pocket where the scroll was kept was hardly noticeable as I saw Freddie leading the rest of the group towards us.

"You've been gone an awfully long time." Albus commented matter-of-factly. "Didn't they have your favourite mascara, James?" He added.

There were a few chuckles from the crowd and Becky laughed appreciatively. James barely batted an eyelid; his eyes were fixed firmly on Sarah since she had been about to tell him at the same time as me. She pasted a convincing smile on her face and looked at James, pulling him into a hug.

"Bless him!" She said over his shoulder at the rest of us – I noted with satisfaction that Amy was looking murderous. James looked in pleasant surprise at me and I saw Sarah scrape her hair away from her face as she whispered in his ear.

"I'll tell you everything later, act natural." She hissed.

I heard, but just barely, and I was the closest person to them. As she released him from her grip, Amy hurried forward and dusted him off while Sarah rolled her eyes at Danny, who rushed towards her dopily, the glazed expression on his face that usually comes across the faces of men who are in Sarah's presence.

It said a lot for my state of shock that I didn't even feel the slightest twinge of jealousy that I felt of her usually. Amy, however, cupped James' cheek and stood on tiptoes to kiss him roughly on the mouth, making sure Sarah could see.

Well, Amy must have stolen all my usual slight jealousy for my best friend and added it to her own huge pile. Sarah looked at her scathingly and turned to me, her hand held out in a 'come on' motion.

"Come on; let's go back up shall we? It's already three o clock and I don't know about you lot but us Gryffindors have Quidditch practice at five, don't we, James?" Sarah asked.

James nodded mutely, his face still full of numb shock at my news and desperation to know all the facts so as to help me.

Or kill me with a blunt, heavy object. Whichever.

We walked to the school in quiet chitchat, but I noticed that neither Sarah nor James was saying much at all, and I said nothing to anyone on the way back. As we walked through the gates and up the sloping drive, Sarah stopped and stared over at the Quidditch pitch.

"James, I have a good tactical idea." She said slowly and convincingly, looking over at James. Amy and Danny stood by their respective partners and Freddie and I stood behind them. The others had gone on up to the castle.

"Come on you lot." I said to Danny, Amy and Freddie.

Amy shot me a filthy look, and an even dirtier one at Sarah, who returned it with interest and stomped up to the castle. I hate her; I hate her so much its ridiculous. She's so stroppy with absolutely no right to be; it's not like _she's_ the one up the duff for god's sake! Danny cast a quick look at Sarah and James.

"I'm on the team, I can stay, right?" He said, looking as if he had no intention of moving whatever the answer.

"Sorry mate, she's my right-hand woman. Everything goes past her before I attempt to tell the rest of you about it." James said convincingly with a shrug. "If it's any good you'll know about it at practice tonight." He promised in a passable imitation of his usual, happy self.

Danny's eyes narrowed slightly but after a moment he shrugged and made his way up to the castle, though not before taking Sarah's waist and kissing her on the lips with passion.

"Merlin's balls... possessive much?" James said to Sarah with an eyebrow raised.

As Freddie and I made our way to the castle I laughed loudly at the irony and felt James' scowling eyes on my back.

* * *

><p>"I really enjoyed your company today, Ro." Freddie said to me when we were in the entrance hall, as he took my hand. "With or without your family." He added with a sly grin. I smiled back, it was a weak attempt but by Christ it was still a smile!<p>

"I enjoyed it too. Sorry we didn't have much time to see each other and everything." I apologized.

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I thought of the reason I had left him for so long today. I subconsciously placed a hand over my stomach and bit down hard on the tears threatening to ruin my makeup once more.

I always thought that stopping yourself from crying when you really want to is one of the hardest things to make yourself do. There's a horrible feeling in your throat and your eyes feel really prickly.

"Look, Rosie, I was wondering... because I've had so much fun for the last few dates I want to just...I think we should. Erm, let me start again: I want to see you more often. As in every day more often." He stammered nervously.

I looked at him blankly; what the hell was this now?

"What I'm trying to say is, I want you to be my girlfriend again. I miss you; I miss _us._" He added.

Scorpius was looking at me from over Freddie's shoulder. I thought Scorpius and I were okay with each other but from the looking he was giving Freddie and I, I just didn't know.

"What d'you say?" Freddie asked.

I wanted to cry more than ever now; I liked Freddie a lot, but I was knowingly pregnant with another man's child. A man who I had complicated feelings for, when I was honest with myself. I wanted the security and love that I'd had with Freddie before, but I could never justify to myself being Freddie's girlfriend while pregnant with the child of an unknowing Scorpius. I pushed the tears further back.

"I'll think about it. Give me until tomorrow." I said slowly when I saw James sand Sarah enter the hall.

"Okay." Freddie said. And with that, he kissed me on the cheek, grinned at me and turned to go down to his common room in the dungeons.

"Rose." James said simply, coming up to me and drawing me into a heartfelt hug.

"I'm so sorry about snapping at you earlier, I know everything. It's not just your fault." He said in my ear very quietly, and staring over my shoulder pointedly at Scorpius, who was walking with Albus down to the Slytherin common room after Freddie.

"I know you'll be going through a rough time now and I want you to know that I am in your corner. Every step of the way." He said, dropping a kiss in my hair and pulling away from me, looking me deep in the eyes. He really was beautiful; his melted chocolate eyes and dark floppy hair. I buried my head in his chest, actually crying now. Sarah glided over to us.

"You all right little one?" She asked me.

"Fine thanks, honeybun." James said quickly with a cheeky wink at her, coaxing a weak laugh out of me. Nobody else could see I was crying, it must have just looked like I was enjoying a comforting hug from my cousin.

"Come 'ere, you" James said, and pulled Sarah into the hug.

She wrapped her arms around us both and I suddenly felt strangely safe; the feeling of my giant of a cousin and my gorgeous Amazonian of a best friend being completely on my side, despite my faults, made me feel so well looked after that for a brief second when James and Sarah looked at each other I felt like they were parents. Maybe that was the utter love and (as per usual nowadays) hurt (_because _of the apparently unrequited love) in James' eyes made him definitely the adoring man in love and I couldn't read Sarah's warm eyes and soft smile.

"My favourite girls in the world." James said so quietly he might not have meant for us to hear it. I knew he had other favourite girls; his mother, my mother and Lily, for example, but I also knew we were high up in the top ten, Sarah definitely the highest on his 'Females I Love The Most' list.

Knowing James he's probably actually _made_ that list.

"Don't let Amy hear you saying that." Sarah said quietly, flashing him a wink, and with that she gave us both a squeeze and kissed me on the cheek. James looked hopefully after her but she had already hurried off to see Danny, who was watching from the bottom of the staircase. James sighed and Amy, who had been beadily watching, noticed.

"You coming to revise History of Magic, James?" She called sharply. We three were the only ones left in the entrance hall now. I looked up, no longer crying; tears all dried, and saw her tapping her foot and scowling at me.

_Well sorry that I love my cousin, bitch. You'll have to share, because Sarah now officially is not the only one watching your back_. I thought maliciously. I didn't say this out loud because Sarah was already her out-and-out enemy now and I preferred to watch her like a hawk and report to Sarah to sort her out, since James was Her Business.

"Yeah I'll just take this one upstairs." He said with his arms around my shoulders. Amy huffed and sat on the stone steps. We got up to the common room in record time.

"So you got together at my last party?" James asked as we took refuge in the comfiest sofa. Sarah and Danny were playing around with their broomsticks in one of the corners, polishing the handles and clipping the twigs over conversation that made Danny smile and Sarah blush.

"Things would have been so much better if I hadn't had that bloody party." He sighed miserably, rubbing my shoulder and looking over at the girl he loved.

I wholeheartedly agreed with him.


	9. Chapter 8: Hindsight

**Chapter 8: Hindsight**

"Anyway, you ready for Quidditch?" James asked an hour later over our own broomstick-sprucing-up session as I silently and distractedly cleaned the mud and grass stains from my Firebolt 250.

Sarah was still clipping the birch twig tail on her sleek black Comet 540 in the corner, while Danny was trying to re-enhance the braking charm on his older Cleansweep 17. James was polishing the handle on his own Firebolt 250 (Dad secretly bought James and I one each so we could beat Slytherin. There's nothing wrong with friendly rivalry, even at his age.)

"Yeah, why?" I asked, not aware of the time.

"Oi, Jay! We'd better go and get changed!" Sarah called, tapping Danny's watch to emphasise her point. James looked at me.

"You don't have to come to practice." He said, looking into the fire instead of at me.

"Christ, I'll even take you off the team if you want." He sighed. He didn't want me off the team any more than I wanted to be off it.

"No, please James don't take this from me, it's all I'll have as a distraction!" I begged quietly. James looked at me.

"Okay. But you won't be able to play when you're in your third trimester." He stated. I heard in his voice that no argument would change his mind. I said nothing; the shock that I would even get to my third trimester – the fact that I was having a baby at all, temporarily stopped me in my emotional tracks.

"If I get to my third trimester." I said very quietly. He looked at me in shock and opened his mouth, but then shook his head.

"Let's just think about Quidditch now, shall we?" He said, standing up and helping me to my feet.

That was James' solution to everything: If life gets too hard, think about Quidditch.

I sat down on one of the benches in the changing room and thanked god I was in my Quidditch gear, for what must have been the first time in my life, and even then only because it was so cold. It was a skin-tight red pullover, under a thick brown leather tank-top. The tight trousers were black and the knee, shin and thigh pads were all the same brown leather. I thought I looked like some kind of ancient roman warrior, but somehow Sarah managed to rock the look.

Then again, she could pull off wearing a bin liner and the younger girls in school would follow her trend immediately. And swear it was PradaWitch.

I sighed. I shouldn't be jealous of my best friend this much. But it was hard when she was so utterly perfect-looking that it made girls cry and tear at their hair, and men want to be with her every waking moment.

And most of the sleeping ones, too.

"You ready?" James said to me quietly. I jumped and looked around.

"I thought it was my job to watch Sarah like a hawk." He added almost silently with a dry smile as he sat down next to me.

"I was just thinking and staring. You know what it's like." He nodded

"I wish I could look at her the way you do." He said suddenly.

This really had been quite a day. Now I was learning things about my cousin I didn't know were there. I was learning he had feelings stronger than I ever could have imagined for my best friend. And it killed every part of him inside to find that she no longer nursed the same love for him.

"What'd you mean?" I asked. It was nice to be able to come out of my problem and dive into someone else's.

"I wish I could look at her like she was just a friend, just another girl. But I can't, and I don't think I actually want to." He continued slowly and quietly. Sometimes it's good to just listen instead of talk, and even James needed someone to talk to about feelings once in a blue moon. Of course, since Sarah and he broke up he lost the plot a little bit there was nothing but blue moons for a while.

Lily and Dom gave us a casual wave as they walked onto the pitch to warm up and soon James and I were the only two people left in the changing room at all. The others were doing laps on the pitch; James had trained the team well.

"I don't know what to say James. I wish she loved you back." I said, and I meant it from the heart. James looked across the changing room thoughtfully, staring without really seeing.

"Me too. But I have hope for us; I've never felt this way about anyone before, you know that. Any love that strong has to be worth fighting for, and I won't give up until I know for sure. How can a feeling this mental be completely wrong?" He said and I think it was the wisest thing my cousin, the happy-go-lucky life of the party, had ever said to me.

"I know." I said, not knowing what else I could say.

"Just answer me this one thing, is she sleeping with him?" He asked, eyes full of hurt.

"No, James. She isn't." I said definitely.

"I'll get her back then." He said optimistically, looking happier.

"Give it time though." I said with a small smile, standing up. James nodded seriously.

As I walked out onto the pitch and mounted my broom I wished ardently for more time to get used to the pregnancy idea. Then I reminded myself that I had eight long months of time.

I had nothing_ but_ time.

"Well played guys, we're going to thrash Slytherin next weekend!" James said, grinning around the changing room an hour and a half later. I was feeling sick again and was in desperate need of a shower. The team grumbled; James had overworked us this night.

"See you tomorrow for practice again!" He called after us as we traipsed off to the shower stalls at the back. I could hear Danny whispering hormone-fuelled ideas to Sarah about having a joint shower and I quickly distracted James, fearing he had heard.

I knew I couldn't keep the fact that Sarah and Danny's relationship was not going to be celibate for long from James much longer. But I wanted to save my cousin the unbearable pain and humiliation the knowledge would bring him. Plus, I'm overprotective of the people I love on a good day, when I was stressed I became neurotic and almost intolerably defensive over them. James and everyone else I cared about would be in for at least eight months of this.

Everyone on the team came out of their shower cubicles at pretty much the same time. Dom came over to me.

"We need to talk; none of us saw you today apart from Sarah and James and they won't talk about it either. I want to know what's wrong." She said bluntly as we sat down.

"Later, yeah?" I said quietly.

She nodded reluctantly and I got myself comfortable on the benches; James always liked to talk to us after practice. He came out last, when we were all sat on the benches by the hanging posts where we kept our clothes hung up. James came to stand at the front, shirtless and hair wet.

"I'm far too hot." Sarah said, fanning herself with her hand. Danny's best friend Steve, who was sat opposite her on the other benched side, let out a laugh.

"You're telling us." He said, looking her over.

Danny let out a laugh; not a one that said 'by golly, that was amusing!' but one of the ones that lads do which plainly says 'I'll let that one slide because you're my best mate, but if you ever so much as_ look_ at my bird in a flirty way again, I'll tear you apart.'

"You know what I meant." Sarah sighed, rolling her eyes. She couldn't say anything without a horny lad making something of it.

"Anyway" James said loudly as Danny snaked his arm around Sarah's waist. "You played really well today. If you come back at the same time every night this week for half an hour then the Slytherin match is in the bag" James continued.

"Right, I'll see you lot later in the common room, but if not meet here at five to five tomorrow. Toodlepip." He concluded.

He truly is very, very mad.

We all filed out and we began walking to the Gryffindor common room. Dom and I (Sarah was last seen slinking into the grounds for a walk with Danny) were in the entrance hall when I suddenly took a right, my feet leading me down to the Slytherin common room, muttering to a disgruntled Dom that I'd be meeting her in the Gryffindor Tower later.

I came to the door of the Slytherin common room soon enough.

"Parselmouth" I said and the stone melted away.

I meandered through the corridor until I came to the Slytherin common room. The first person I saw was Chelsea Oxford sat in the chair, snogging some boy. I couldn't see him properly to tell who it was since she was pretty much sat in his lap, her claw like nails roaming his head.

Poor him.

I glanced around and saw Albus sat in one of the chairs nearest the green fire, looking nauseated. I went over to him. It was most unusual that his nose wasn't stuck in a book as was normal for him but even more unusual that his best friend Scorpius was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, cuz. Seen Freddie?" I asked. Albus looked up at me anxiously.

"He's over there" He began, looking as if he had something to tell me. "But I think I should talk to you, Ro..." He said nervously.

"Can it wait? I really have to talk to Freddie." I said. Albus looked as if he'd have dearly loved to have said no, but he shut his mouth and gave a jerky nod of his head to signal 'if you must.'

"Great, thanks." I'd said, walking slowly over to where Freddie was sat on his own, up to his eyeballs in Herbology.

I didn't know what I was going to say to Freddie. It's not like I had come any closer to making my decision. All I knew was that I wasn't feeling good and Freddie was the person who cheered me up. Selfish, I know.

"Hello, you." I said, sitting opposite him. From where I sat I could see Chelsea and the mystery boy tangled up in the chair and Albus just to the right of them, looking nervous and nauseated once more. Freddie jumped and looked up.

"It doesn't say much for my reflexes when you can creep up on me like that, babe." He said, leaning over and greeting me with a kiss on the cheek. I laughed distractedly.

"I take it this isn't a social call." He sighed, laying down his quill and looking and taking my hand, which had been lying on the table (not by itself, my arm is attached.)

"No, it's not." I said with a sigh, looking at him apologetically.

"So you've made your decision, then." He said, looking down at the table for a long time before meeting my eyes. I too was avoiding his gaze. The common room was packed on the other side but over here it was fairly quiet and my eyes roamed over the people.

"I've made my decision." I said, my eyes stopping on Chelsea Oxford. I was getting this funny feeling from her and the boy she was with. Did I know him?

"Ah." Freddie said. "Go on then, don't try to break it gently to me." He said with barely concealed unhappiness in his voice. Just then, Chelsea got up from the sofa with a smile on her pink lips and looked right at me with the smuggest look I've ever seen on any one person's face. I looked at her quizzically but then the boy sat up in the chair and looked at me.

And I was met with the cold blue eyes of Scorpius Malfoy. It was like being doused with icy water; I was in utter shock. Chelsea gave me a horribly sweet little wave, and flounced out of the room, leaving Scorpius staring right at me as if to say 'you brought this on yourself'.

"What are you talking about?" I said through numb lips, not taking my eyes off Scorpius.

"I said I'd made my decision, didn't I?" I said looking at him. He looked back at me questioningly.

"I choose you. I want to be your girlfriend again." I said loudly, looking at him now defiantly. Freddie's face split into a grin.

"Seriously?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"Seriously." I repeated, with an indifferent look towards Scorpius, who was looking between me and Freddie with narrowed eyes.

He officially had no business being angry with me now. I hoped him and dog-face would be very happy together. Maybe they could have some albino little puppies together.

"Oh Rosie, you have no idea how happy you've made me." Freddie said, coming around the table and sitting down next to me to give me a long hug. He finished off with a kiss on the lips which deepened until we both came up for air, gasping.

I looked across to see Scorpius full-on scowling at us now.

"The pleasure is all mine." I said with a sweet smile at Scorpius and then at Freddie, who kissed me again, smiling at the same time.

In hindsight, that was one of the most selfish, immature and stupid things I've ever done. Including the time that James, Lily and I ran into Aunt Ginny's living room where all our parents were having an afternoon drink and screamed at them that Voldemort was in the garden.

But then again, hindsight is a wonderful thing.


	10. Chapter 9: Friends and Rivals

**Chapter 9: Friends and Rivals**

My mind was an emotional whirlwind. How could Scorpius do this to me? It sounded so selfish but Chelsea was the reason for a lot of hurt for both me and Sarah. Why would he lower himself to be with her? Last time I checked he hated her guts.

Even more importantly, how was I going to tell him I was pregnant with his child? How was I going to tell _anyone_ I was pregnant, full stop! I could imagine my mother's angry face, my father's shocked expression and then I imagined the fear I would feel at his wrath; when Ronald Weasley was angry, you knew about it. I thought of Nana Weasley's reaction, how she'd have a heart attack at the news and then thought of Granddad. Whatever would he think of me? The sad and angry faces of my family members flitted through my mind; I saw Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny shaking their heads at me, Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur, Percy and Audrey, Fred and Angelina, and then I saw the friends that were like family; Hagrid, Uncle Neville and his wife Hannah and Luna and Rolf, who always bought me strange and unusual trinkets back from their travels. I wasn't merely upset; I was past the emotional point of no return. I wasn't just angry with myself for getting into this situation, I wasn't even angry at Scorpius. I was confused because of all this.

I didn't understand it. I'm not one of those weird girls you see around school; the prudes that resent and sneer at Sarah, Becky, Dom and I for being popular, experienced and beautiful but all the while envy us with such desperation that its almost madness.

At the same time I'm not one of the slutty types of girl. None of us were. We flirt with guys occasionally, we have love interests around school that come and go like any other adolescent girl, but we don't sleep with anything and everything with a pulse. We don't even kiss random boys like we used to, because we all (Sarah, Becky, Dom and yours truly) have feelings for a guy. Or more than one guy, I realised. In my case at least.

It hurt to admit it, but I still liked Scorpius as well as Freddie. There's no other explanation for the way I felt when his face appeared beside Chelsea's.

I was trudging up the stone steps to my common room in a daze, after leaving Freddie with some excuse about needing a bath. In all honesty I really wanted a bath now that I'd said it; a chance to relax and soothe myself for just an hour and get really clean again on the outside, even if I knew I wasn't clean on the inside. I mumbled vague excuses to my friends about having a bath and batted away an anxious Lily, seeing her crestfallen face when I walked right past her up to the girls' dormitory and bathroom.

I got my oldest and comfiest pyjamas out of my drawers, fetched a clean pink towel from the airing cupboard and locked myself in the bathroom. I turned on the taps and leaned over the sink.

I didn't have a bath that night. I slid down the door and cried.

I didn't speak to anyone afterwards and lay awake all night, listening to my friends breathing deeply and thought of their untroubled dreaming as opposed to my frightening nightmares. I finally got to sleep at 5 o clock in the morning, and awoke at eight o clock. The girls were all still sound asleep, including Dom which was a testament to how hard James had worked us the night before. When they began getting up at eleven, I heard them quietly pottering around, getting changed quickly and trying not to wake me. It was raining outside – had been for hours. I rolled over on my side and let my hair cover my face as they walked past my bed, feigning sleep.

"Should we wake her?" Becky whispered.

"You know what she's like when we wake her up before she's had her Sunday lie-in. But then again she's even worse when she hasn't had breakfast." Dom reasoned.

"No. Leave her this time." Sarah said in a low voice. I thanked her internally.

"We'll bring her up some breakfast. Has she still got that stomach bug?" Becky asked.

I realised with a jolt that just because I hadn't decided to talk to anyone last night, didn't mean Sarah had had the same privilege. I realised that she was paying for my silence and she must have had to lie for me until she could ask me what I needed her to do.

"Yeah. I think it's going to be a while before she gets over this one. We'll bring her breakfast up once we've had ours." Sarah said. As they left and I was on my own once more, I dissolved into tears as I had done many times that night.

Sarah, my very best friend, was suffering for my stupid mistakes, my weaknesses, my _problems_. Maybe I was being melodramatic about her suffering (it wasn't like she was being tortured) but it still wasn't fair on her when she had enough problems (or definitely would have) if James decided to act up or Amy gave her any more grief.

So instead of staying cuddled up in my warm bed, I did the thing I really didn't want to do. I vomited (oh the joys of morning sickness,) showered, dressed in one of Nana Weasley's red and gold jumpers and a pair of black combat trousers, cleaned my teeth, did my hair and makeup and then I went downstairs and I faced the world.

My foot hit the bottom step and I swallowed my inner turmoil (and possibly more vomit) and stepped into the Great Hall in the kind of no-nonsense way that would have given my mother a run for her money. I was walking past the Slytherin table with my head held high, completely ignoring the whole table, when Sarah hurried (well, glided quickly) over to me.

"Ro, I don't know how to tell you..." She said anxiously as she led me over to the Gryffindor table. "...but Scorpius is going out with Chelsea Oxford!" She continued. We stopped and sat down opposite James and Amy and Becky passed me some toast that she had saved for me. I smiled weakly at her.

"I know. I found out last night." I sighed, putting some jam on my toast. Amy opened her mouth in a matter-of-fact way, probably to comment on my ruffled and dead-looking appearance, but I pointed my half eaten toast at her in a pre-emptive strike.

"Shut it." I advised. She closed her mouth and looked affronted. She turned her head to James.

"Aren't you going to defend me?" She asked shrilly. Sarah took the opportunity to look at me quizzically about the Scorpius thing.

James sighed loudly and put his own jammy toast down.

"Ro, freedom of speech, blah blah blah." He said in a bored tone, picking up the paper. Amy squeezed his hand sweetly.

"I was just going to say how much I liked your jumper." She said, surprising everyone at the table but Sarah, who looked at Amy sceptically.

"Err, thanks." I said as politely as I could muster. Amy beamed at me, an altogether frightening look on her dull face.

"Come on James!" She said cheerily, and dragged my bemused cousin from the table, toast in his free hand.

"What's her agenda?" Becky asked curiously. Sarah sighed.

"She thinks if she's really nice to everyone and annoys me enough it'll make me look like a total monster if I continue to be a bitch to her. She wants everyone on her side." She said, picking up James' discarded paper.

"Sneaky bitch. That'll never happen." Dom said casually, grabbing her favourite cereal and tucking in. Becky nodded.

"We aren't buying any of it, Sare." She said. I nodded in agreement and Sarah smiled at us.

"Cheers girls." She said just as Dom swore under her breath.

"Shit on a stick. Here comes trouble." She added, looking up at where Scorpius had appeared, Chelsea in tow. I ripped my toast in half viciously. Albus looked up from beside Dom and moved over so Scorpius and She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named could sit opposite Sarah, Becky and I.

"Hello guys and girls!" Chelsea said in a falsely bright voice, beaming at all of us.

Becky set down her knife with a clatter and Dom scowled at Chelsea from the other side of Albus, who was looking nauseated once more. I'd found out after last night that the events involving Scorpius and dogface were the ones he wanted to warn me about.

"You aren't welcome here." Becky said to Chelsea. Dom nodded.

"That's right, after everything that you did to Sarah and Rose...I should rip you limb from limb." She growled, trembling with what I knew was the effort of preventing herself from shifting into her fox form. Dom was as loyal as they came – if you started something with Becky, Sarah or I then you would not forget it. More importantly, neither would she.

When our emotions are particularly strong we can just change suddenly into our alter forms. More than once I been so angry that I couldn't decide whether to kill something or cry and suddenly I've burst into a fox out of sheer frustration and indecision. Dom's reaction to Chelsea wasn't completely deserved but she certainly deserved twice as much heartache as me and Sarah put together.

"Oh come on girls, you're not going to resort to all this silliness are you?" Chelsea laughed nervously, eyeing the bread knife Dom had conveniently picked up from the centre of the table and was poising her index finger on, completely lazily.

I snorted; I couldn't help it – I love my friends.

"Dom's right; you aren't welcome here." Sarah stated coolly.

"But-" Chelsea whined.

"Beat it, Barbie." I snapped. I'd had enough of the cow this time.

"Scorpius, aren't you going to defend my honour?!" Chelsea asked in a whine.

Were she and Amy separated at birth?

"Fight your own battles." Dom snarled. Scorpius was looking torn.

"And _honour_? You've got about as much honour as the whore of Babylon!" I snorted.

"We'll make this easy for you. We're going to go up to our common room this time, but if we see you on this table again then you _really_ won't like what we become. And you'll like even less what we'll do to you." Sarah said, standing up impressively. Dom nodded.

"In more ways than one." Dom said mysteriously.

"Girls..." Scorpius protested weakly.

"No, Scorpius! You should have known what to expect when you brought her around us! Don't make the mistake of doing it again" I cut him off angrily, my eyes flashing warnings in neon. And with that we strutted out of the hall.

Girl power in your face, Malfoy!

Chelsea didn't return to our table the next morning, or in fact any of the mornings until the following Saturday. I had had a whole week full of sleepless nights, tears, and nightmares in the few golden hours I could sleep. I saw mum in my dreams, hovering above my bed, crying over her stupid mess of a daughter. I saw my father's angry face and then myself crying over Scorpius' grave and watching my dad being carted off to Azkaban for murder.

It's being so cheerful that keeps me going, I think.

"Rose?" James waved a hand in front of my face at breakfast on the Saturday morning of the big match against Slytherin. Amy was sat with the rest of her team-mates on the Slytherin table (Albus had told me that he'd had to put her on the team temporarily due to one of his beaters having Vanishing Sickness.)

"What?" I asked vaguely.

"You ready for the match? James asked. The rest of the team was sat morosely tucking into their breakfasts, somewhat half heartedly.

Stupid question, of course I was ready for the match; James had overworked us every night at practice, which had made it even worse on me when I couldn't sleep, because I desperately needed to.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I sighed, looking across the hall at Freddie, who blew me a kiss.

It was always hard, playing matches against your boyfriend. It was going to be very easy for Sarah, who would do her very best to kill Amy on the pitch, as would Dom and Lily, I suspected.

"Good. Team? Lets away!" He said false cheerily. I knew he was as nervous as us, but we had done our best to prepare for the match and we were determined to do our captain/cousin/friend/ex love/brother (he was something different to each of us) very proud.

We changed in near silence and then sat down for James' customary pep talk.

"Right team, I know you've been playing bloody well out there for the last week and longer, so go out there and make yourselves proud. Today, we beat Slytherin once more! This win will grant us an automatic place in the semi finals for the Quidditch cup later in the year, so don't you disappoint me!"

Short and snappy speech. I like it!

"No pressure, though." Dom said, rolling her eyes. James laughed.

"Lily, Rose, Steve remember what I told you; don't take your eyes off each other, or the quaffle!" James added.

"Sarah, you just hit with all you're worth kitty cat, and they won't know what's hit 'em. And Danny, you make sure you have her back _at all times_." He said seriously, staring Danny down.

"It's my job as her boyfriend." Danny replied loyally. James frowned slightly for a second but shook himself.

"Dom, mark the middle hoop as usual, and I'll just concentrate on getting the snitch as soon as possible." He said and then we heard the crowds cheering and a whistle blew outside. The huge doors opened and we walked out onto the pitch, James at the front followed by me, Lily and Steve with Sarah, Danny and Dom behind us.

As we mounted our brooms and James and Albus shook hands, I could've sworn that I heard Dom assuring Sarah that she would curse Amy if she got too close.

And I'll also swear that I heard Sarah laugh before the whistle blew again and we kicked off up into the clear air.

"And here we have, on the Gryffindor team, the legendary James Potter as Captain; let's have a cheer, guys!" The commentator today was a blonde hunk by the name of Rocky.

Well, that wasn't his birth name but I didn't know his real name.

"We also have slim-as-a-pin Dominique Weasley as Keeper, the feisty Rose Weasley, party boy Steve Jones and sweet as sugar Lily Potter as Chasers, as well as muscle-man Danny Fox as beater and last but not least, the stunning Sarah Addams. Oh Sarah. You make a man's blood run hotter, am I right guys?" He said, to cheers from the crowd, including some from Slytherin.

"I hate it when he does this." A blushing Sarah said to me as we hovered about twenty feet in the air, waiting for the balls to be released.

"Yes, all right... Right, Professor... yeah, I hear you. I apologize to Sarah and the Gryffindor team for my previous statement." Rocky said in a bored voice, provoking laughs from the crowd.

"Aren't the Gryffindor girls fine though, eh lads?" He said. More cheers. There was a stern voice through the microphone. "All right professor, I'm on it." He added in a glum tone.

"Let me now present the Slytherin team!" He shouted happily, to applause from the green and silver crowd in the stands.

"Captain Albus Potter, Keeper Freddie Harrington, Beaters Scorpius Malfoy and Amy Harris and the chasers Carla Zabini, Chelsea Oxford and Caitlin Denoir." Rocky said to more cheering and jeering and the Slytherin team joined us in the air.

Sarah, Dom, Lily and I stared down at Amy and Chelsea and Freddie winked at me while Scorpius scowled; a look which was most becoming of him nowadays.

"Right, on my whistle!" Madame Lashes called from beneath us.

"Three, two..." She blew the whistle sharply and we quickly took our positions.

Lily, Steve and I were to stick to each other like glue. Lily caught the quaffle as it was chucked up to her, battling Chelsea for it. I laughed loudly and Lily hurled the quaffle at me. Carla Zabini snarled at me as I intercepted it from her. There was a pleasing 'ding' of the quaffle on metal as Steve scored.

"TEN POINTS TO GYRFFINDOR!" Rocky shouted over the cheers.

A Bludger was sent hurtling my way by Amy. She had a good arm and precision in her aim, but she was nothing on Sarah and Danny and my reflexes were far too quick for her. I dropped twenty feet on my broomstick and watched Lily and Caitlin battling in midair for the quaffle, Steve underneath them waiting like a vulture for one to drop it.

"...Denoir snatches the quaffle and passes to Oxford, she shoots, she...is intercepted by Dominique Weasley! Rose Weasley swoops in and takes the quaffle, passes to Steve Jones, who passes to Lily P, who scores! TWENTY POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!"

I did a victory lap in the air to cheers from Gryffindor and then flew back into the fray.

"Sarah hits the Bludger directly at Harris, who ducks... but only by a centimetre – I bet that one singed your hair, didn't it Harris?" Laughed Rocky and Sarah zoomed past me, giving me a huge high-five on her way round. I could hear Amy spewing swear words as she slicked her hair back into its ponytail.

"Malfoy whacks the Bludger at Addams, who ducks quick as a flash. My god that girl is something else! Oh you beauty, why won't you go out with me?" Rocky sighed shaking his head to laughter from the audience.

Rocky was a brilliant commentator, at least for the comic relief. He loved being the class clown and he smiled up at the pitch.

"Right, now we have...oh hang on! James P is diving, has he seen it?"

I swooped down upon Chelsea, scratching up her unprotected arms with my nails. She screeched and dropped the quaffle she was holding and looked up at me.

"I'll get dirt on you, Weasley, make no mistake about it!" She screeched before turning broom tail and flying up to her other chasers. I hovered momentarily in panic, before shaking myself out of it and passing to Lily, who dodged a Bludger sent her way by Amy, and scored. I had blocked out Rocky now and was merely concentrating on the quaffle, Lily and Steve.

"Slytherin intercepts the quaffle, Harris sends another Bludger towards Sarah, who hits it back to her with all her strength! Harris dodges but I think it skimmed her shoulder...yes, it did!" Rocky said positively gleefully. "Zabini shoots, she scores! Ten points to Slytherin!"

James swore loudly from above me and I looked up to see him surveying the game from the highest of all of us.

"Get your arse in gear, Rosie!" He yelled, spotting me watching him and I rushed back into the game, taking the quaffle from Steve, who sped in front of me and... was hit by an oncoming Bludger sent by Caitlin Denoir, who had wrenched the bat from a bemused Scorpius. I froze in horror as Steve tumbled from his broom. The next thing I knew, Dom sped past me and caught Steve, pulling him onto her broom and zooming to the ground.

"DOM!" James bellowed after her. "ROSE, GET INTO DEFENCE!" He yelled at me and I sped to the hoops, completely shocked. I had never played defence.

"PLAYER DOWN! And Denoir is being called down, and, yes she has to forfeit the game! She's being sent off now!" I looked down as Rocky said it, to see the hard-faced girl with the strong jaw and bulky body stomping off the pitch amid yells of foul play. Dom was zooming up to me and she nodded to me as I passed her. However, Carla Zabini was zooming towards me. I tried to block her but she was smaller and lighter than me and she dived twenty feet beneath me and then reappeared in front of Dom. Dom swerved right but Carla dived left and the quaffle clanged against the hoop as she scored.

"TWENTY ALL!" Rocky yelled. James swore again as he zoomed past.

Half an hour later, Slytherin was up fifty points and we were up forty, landing us at seventy-sixty to Slytherin.

"Slytherin scores!" Rocky yelled. I saw Freddie and Amy high-five as they passed in midair and I made a mental note to warn him about her later. Lily passed the recently intercepted quaffle to me and I zoomed to the other end of the pitch and hurled the quaffle into the goal past Freddie, who made a quick attempt to stop me.

"Gryffindor scores! Seventy points!" Rocky yelled.

James beamed at me from across the pitch and as he was looking, the Snitch fluttered beside my left ear. I pointed subtly at it and James zoomed towards me at a terrifying speed, Albus hot on his heels. I ducked just in the nick of time as the Potter boys came too close at too much of a speed for me to be comfortable with. James' fingers clasped around the tiny ball and I squealed with delight. He held it up in the air for all to see and the whistle blew. We flew to the ground and ran forward for a group hug. Amy threw her beaters bat onto the floor a few feet away and stamped her foot and looked over at us, clutching her shoulder, which I think had been badly hurt by Sarah's swing.

Tee-hee.

"WELL DONE GUYS!" James roared over the cheers of Gryffindor and most of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

He then threw himself into Sarah's arms, who clung to him with her eyes closed and her ecstatic smile on her face. He buried his head in her shoulder and her hair.

Danny watched uncertainly from beside her. Suddenly she pulled away from James and looked up at him, smiling.

"Well done, you!" She said to him before she turned and was met passionately by Danny, who picked her up and looked up at her.

"You brilliant girl." He said before kissing her again. James looked on with his lips pursed in annoyance before Lily flung herself into his surprised hug. She looked up at him from her short height and beamed with tears in her eyes.

"I was in a team that won a match, Jay!" She squeaked and dissolved into tears of joy, leaving a bemused James to pat her on the shoulder awkwardly as Dom hugged me ecstatically.

"You played well, kid." James said to Lily as Dom and I broke apart.

"Well done babe!" A voice said from behind me. I spun around to see Freddie stood there, smiling serenely. He drew me into a long hug.

"Thanks, aren't you upset?" I asked.

Tactful as always, Rose.

"Well, seeing as we beat Hufflepuff our last match, we'll be playing you again in November." He said with a wider grin.

I smiled too; matches against Slytherin were all the more fun with bitches like Amy and Chelsea on the team.

"That's great! You're welcome to James' party tonight by the way. Well, you, Scorpius and Albus are." I added quickly.

"Great, I'll meet you in the Room of Requirement tonight, yeah?" He said, looking down slightly at me from the hug.

"Mmm." I nodded, burying myself in his shoulder. Over it, I could see Sarah swooping down to comfort Lily, who was still sobbing. Sarah hugged her with a sympathetic smile and James grinned down at the scene.

Aww.

Meanwhile, hugging wasn't the only thing on Freddie's mind. He was looking at my lips in the serious way men do when they want to kiss you. I stood up straighter and he kissed me immediately, passionately but gently.

When we broke apart I bit my lip and smiled up at him in a small way. He grinned back just as sheepishly.

"I need a shower now, but I'll see you at the party later." He said, before kissing me again and following a disgruntled Chelsea and Amy towards their changing rooms.

I waved him off and was greeted by Albus who offered his hand to shake with a handsome grin.

"We're still in!" He said. I ignored his extended hand and hugged him with a smile of my own, for once this week forgetting about my stomach and what it held (no, not toast.)

"I'm so happy, you coming tonight?" I asked. He nodded.

"James'd kill me if I didn't." He laughed before patting me on the shoulder and leaving me face to face with Scorpius, who had been behind him.

"Hey Ro." He said.

"Hello." I said stiffly. He walked forward, looking at his feet.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Chelsea." He said looking at me finally.

"That's ok. I'm sorry she's alive." I said coldly. He said nothing for a minute.

"Yeah I deserve that. But you're biased about her aren't you." He said.

"What, because she ruined my life, my relationship with the boy I loved and humiliated me? Surely not!" I snapped.

"You still love him now?" He asked quickly, running a hand through his thick and windswept hair.

"It's not any of your business either way. And you wouldn't believe me whatever I told you." I said with a shrug.

"That's true. Erm, I'll see you at the party later." He said awkwardly, and with that he turned quietly and slinked across the field.

"Rose!" Sarah called.

I turned and walked over to where she and Dom were fanning themselves. James had led Lily off a while ago and Danny had gone to check on his best friend, Steve.

"Come on, I'm sweating like a dragon's armpit." Sarah said and Dom laughed as we walked to the showers.

Just another day on the Quidditch pitch for me.


	11. Chapter 10: Mental

**Hey everyone, I don't really leave author's notes on this fic, but I was wildly disappointed in the lack of reviews compared to the amount of people who followed or added it to favourites. I have just finished writing my 28th chapter of this, so I keep on top of it, and good authors need good reviews to keep them focused or they just keep writing without knowing their strengths, weakness, popular and unpopular points of the story. PLEASE review if your read - it really is helpful and inspiring :)**

**-Sarita x**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Mental<strong>

Over the loud music someone had put on, I pushed through the throngs of drunk, kissing, crying (or all of the above) teens to Sarah and Becky, who were stood in the middle of the dancefloor, twirling away. I could see a few Hufflepuff girls giving them envious looks from a few feet away, teetering on their uncomfortable heels.

Sarah had borrowed one of my skin-tight red dresses for the night and with her long, long legs, rippling raven hair and tanned skin, she looked better in it than the pale, redheaded (pregnant) ol' me ever would.

Kick me while I'm down, won't you life?

Becky however had gone for a metallic silver skirt and an icy blue low-cut top; I had noticed a few years before that while Sarah went for the hot, smouldering colours like blood red or tougher materials like leather, Becky had an attraction to the cooler colours like blue and silver and softer materials like suede. Dom had a penchant for the sunset pastels; pink, blue and yellow or orange mainly, while I stuck to the earthy colours like brown, green and sometimes blue.

I realised with a strange jolt that this reflected our personalities in a test we had done for Divination a few years back. I had been Earth: down-to-earth, but outspoken, strong willed and honest – you either liked me or you didn't. Sarah had been Fire: passionate and strong, but sometimes aggressive, as well as rebellious, impulsive, intuitive, and stubborn. Becky had been water: creative, sensitive, calm and relaxed, while Dom had been Air: practical and pensive, sometimes whimsical but bold.

It's funny what you notice about your friends isn't it?

…I'm such a nerd.

"Hey, Ro." Becky shouted over the noise, taking Sarah's hand and walking back and forwards to the music.

"Have either of you seen-"

"HELLO!" Said a slurred voice behind me. I turned to see a pie-eyed James, a bottle of something strong (possibly weed killer) in his hand. He stepped in between all three of us.

"Which one of you bitches wants to dance?" He slurred, swaying on the spot. James liked his drink after a win.

Who am I trying to fool? James likes his drink at any time.

"There's something wrong with him in the head." Becky said with a laugh, turning away from him to dance with Sarah again.

"Hey, you with the blue eyes and the hair and the boobs and stuff..." A boy said from beside Sarah, looking at her through drunken eyes and speaking through intoxicated lips.

"Back off you whore!" James screamed at him in a high pitched voice and shaking his ominous bottle at him. The dark haired boy staggered away from us as James advanced a few uneven steps.

"Hello foxes" He said with an exaggerated wink. Sarah stepped away from us with a smile.

"James, where's Amy? Shouldn't she be looking after you?" She asked, stepping towards him and laying both hands on his shoulders. James looked around the huge, crowded room.

"I dunno. I want you to look after me." He said with a huge shrug, looking just at her lips. I rolled my eyes.

"James, go and dance, there's a good lad." I said.

"Don't worry Ro, I'll put him in one of the beds." Sarah sighed with a smile at him.

"Yes please, baby." James said with a saucy wink, slouched over slightly and his arm flung over her shoulder.

"Don't get ideas. Come on you." She said, putting a hand on James's waist. He saw this as an excuse to hug her, so he buried his head in her hair like he'd done earlier and a shocked Sarah patted his back.

"Sarah, what are you doing?" An irritated voice said from behind us. Danny had appeared.

Wearing a muggle hooded jumper with grey and white stripes and black combat trousers, his muscles were shown off and his dark hair set off the look. Sarah held her hands up in the air and shook her hands to show she had no idea.

"What's wrong with him?" Danny asked me, nodding his head towards James, who was immersing himself in Sarah on the middle of the dancefloor.

"What do you want, a list?" I asked.

"He's shit-faced." Sarah said. James looked up.

"I am perfectly sober, honestly officer." He said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"James! What are you doing here with _her_?" Amy said.

Honestly, where are all these people popping up from?!

"_She_ has a name." Becky snapped, while Sarah ignored Amy's rudeness.

"I'm just taking him to one of the beds." She said calmly. Amy folded her arms in a no-nonsense way.

"No way. I'll do it. Come on, babeeey!" She said in a high pitched, fake as hell voice, holding her uninjured arm out to James.

Since she was wearing next to nothing (a cropped boob tube [really!] and silver short-shorts) I could see her shoulder plainly, which had been bandaged thickly by Madame Pettifoot, the matron.

"You sure you can support him with that arm?" Sarah said, with only the trace of a smirk. Becky and I grinned at each other, although I was scanning the room for Freddie.

"Yeah, thanks for that by the way, bitch." Amy said, momentarily forgetting James and folding her arms, wincing.

"No problem, the bandage doesn't go with your outfit though." Sarah said casually. "Then again, the only thing that would make that outfit look any good is more clothes, but each to her own." She shrugged, her arm still around a sleepy James, whose hand was, to Danny's intense annoyance sliding down her waist.

"Look, step away from my boyfriend will you?!" Amy shrieked. Becky stopped dancing at this point and I saw her beckon across the room in a serious way to Dom, who had been picking her way through the crowd towards us.

"Chill your beans; he was my friend before you meant anything to him. I'm putting him to bed and then I'm coming out here to dance with my own boyfriend." Sarah said, making to leave once more. Amy put a hand on Sarah's shoulder, her short nails digging into her arm.

"I said I'll do it!" She snarled. Sarah turned around, shrugging Amy's hand off and looked down at the girl. Dom, sensing the hostility in the air, began jogging in her platform-like heels over to us, while Becky joined my side. I in turn was stood beside a bewildered Danny.

"They've not exactly hit it off, Sarah and Amy. Amy called her a whore the other week and said she was out to steal James." I said to him out of the corner of my mouth in an undertone.

He deserved to know who his girlfriend was likely to kill in the immediate future. A future which, from where I was standing, didn't seem too far away...

"Thanks for the heads up." He nodded to me, before stepping forward to help Sarah.

"Look, girls..." He began but neither appeared to have heard him.

"Keep your hands off me, all right? This is your warning - next time I'll break your fingers." Sarah growled at Amy, leaning down to look her in the eye and ignoring Danny.

"S'okay chickens, you don't need to fight over me. I'm not as drunk as I thought I was." James said suddenly, standing up straight and looking perfectly sober.

Except he wasn't. Sober, that is. In fact he was every bit as drunk as he had seemed, but he didn't want a massive catfight at his party because he knows what we're like. And by we, I meant Dom, Becky, Sarah and I.

If one of us is in a fight, we all are. We were pack animals before we were even Animaguses: We're best friends.

"Come on James." Amy said, not taking her eyes off Sarah. "Let's go." She said, grabbing James by the elbow and steering him away. He shrugged over his shoulder at us and Sarah turned to us, fuming.

"I can't believe those two. I was trying to help him!" She said, enraged. Danny took her shoulder soothingly and massaged it.

"Let's just stay away from the pair of them shall we?" He said, scowling after James's retreating back when he thought Sarah wasn't looking.

_I_ was looking though.

Sarah sighed as Danny continued to work her shoulders. Becky and Dom were now dancing together (I noted that Rich was nowhere to be seen, which was strange) and as for Freddie, I hadn't seen him anywhere. As a matter of fact, I couldn't see Scorpius or Albus anywhere and they are usually in the middle of the dancefloor with us at parties.

"We're going for a walk around the grounds, see you later guys" Sarah sighed a few minutes later, holding Danny's hand.

We nodded and they left quickly, just as Amy and James reappeared. James looked sober now...and unhappy. Amy opened her mouth to say something but I turned and, pushing my way through the crowd, looked for Freddie.

I found that now more than ever, I just didn't want to hear any of her shit.

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><p>Two hours later I found myself in the middle of the dancefloor, my arms circled around Freddie's neck (no, I wasn't trying to strangle him) as we swayed around our friends.<p>

Becky and Rich were dancing a few feet away, although while Rich seemed content in her arms, Becky looked strained and tense. Sarah and Danny, who had rejoined us earlier were kissing a few feet away silently, eyes closed in passion. Albus had found some tart to dance with, though it looked platonic on his part in the way they held each other's hands and shoulders. Amy had her head on James' shoulder further away and over her head, he was staring longingly at Sarah (as usual.) Chelsea had Scorpius up against the far wall of the smoky room and was doing her best to remove his tongue from his head via suction power.

I kissed Freddie and pulled away in the middle of the song. He looked surprised – he had been just about to kiss me I think.

"Sorry, I'm gagging for a drink. You want something?" I said over the slow, romantic music.

"Yeah, just some of the party punch please love." He said before grinning at me.

"Okie doke. Dom looks lonely as hell, do me a favour and give her a quick spin around the floor while I get us the drinks?" I said in my nicest voice.

"All right. See you in a few." He said, calling Dom over with a nod of his head.

I meandered through the crowd to the table with about fifty different bottles of booze on and a bowl the size of a tractor tyre sat in the middle. Behind this makeshift bar, to my surprise, was my own brother, Hugo.

"All right mush? What you doing here?" I asked.

"James told me to man the bar for a bit to make sure no-one spikes the punch." He replied.

Was I hearing correctly? James had specifically asked for there to be non-alcoholic beverages at one of his parties?!

Get out of town...

"Are you having a laugh?!" I asked in shock. "This is non-alcoholic?!" I made to reach for it.

"Oh god no, James only asked me to watch the bowl because he's already spiked it himself three times."

Life is normal again.

"That explains it. I said, taking one of the cups and pouring Freddie some. I got myself a virgin Gillywater cocktail, bade my brother goodbye and wandered through the crowd again.

I was distracted by raised voices and turned to see my own cousin Lily in one of the corners of the gargantuan room, 'talking' with a sixth year by the name of Michael Troy. I stepped closer and saw that Lily was being taunted by Troy and a bunch of his sixth year friends and their girlfriends.

Sarah was beside Lily with a dangerous look in her eye and Dom and Becky stood nearby too. I had no idea where the lads were but they'd be needed if this kicked off. We girls can all _more_ than hold our own in a fair fight but they outnumbered us three on one.

"You only got on the team because you're the captains brother!" Troy was saying.

"She got in on talent, something alien to you. Shame you're not on the Slytherin team really, I'd have liked to have broken your arm!" Sarah snapped viciously with her own arm around Lily, who was wearing a defiant expression that didn't quite cover up the fact that she was on the verge of tears.

"I'd like to see you try; you didn't get in on talent any more than she did! You're only on the team because you _shagged_ the captain, how classy! And they say you've got the looks to model!" A girl who had to be his girlfriend snapped at Sarah.

"Keep your dog on a lead, Troy. She's barking." I spat at the boy, who put his arm around his girlfriend.

"What the hell do you think you're on about?" Lily added to the girl, I think her name was Lianne. "If you don't think she's the most beautiful girl in the whole bloody school then that would explain why you're with _that_ bitch; your eyesight must be screwed!" She said to Troy.

Lianne squared her pointed jaw and opened her mouth.

"Yeah, seriously Troy. Get a muzzle for your pet. I think she's going to cough up a hairball or something." Dom snarled.

I loved having all this backup.

"She does model, Lianne, you silly tart. I've heard you sent off your pictures to some agency in London and they sent them back saying you were too short and weren't pretty enough! Sarah's been approached by more agents than she can wave a wand at! Jealous much?" I added. I had to get my two-bit in.

The crowd we had gathered were laughing, even a few of the boys stood behind Troy and Lianne were fighting to keep straight faces. Seemed he wasn't as popular as he thought himself to be.

"She's not all that." Troy said with doubt heavy in his own voice, looking Sarah up and down.

"You weren't saying that last week when you were asking me out." Sarah said defiantly. Troy went a deep puce as Lianne pulled away from him and looked up at him. He spluttered useless apologies at her.

"Get out of here Troy." Becky said.

"And take your bitch with you." Sarah added.

"You're the bitch, you know that?!" Troy spat at Sarah as Lianne stormed out of the party.

"If I am, I'll never be yours. Now you lay off Lily or you'll see what colour your insides are, you got that?!" Sarah said. Troy gave her one last leer up and down and then he turned and left.

Lily looked up at Sarah and Dom, Becky and I came closer.

"We're awesome aren't we." Becky said, a contented smile on her lips.

"Hell yeah, vaginas unite!" Dom said, taking a swig out of Becky's glass of punch and teetering drunkenly on her heels.

"High fives all around! Sarah said, holding her hand up and grinning at Lily, who stuck her tongue out at all of us and gave us all a resounding hand-slap.

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><p>I slept in one of the single beds of the room of requirement that night.<p>

Freddie had been tired after the match so he went straight back to the Slytherin common room, not before offering to walk me back to my common room, which was sweet of him seeing how he was practically dead on his feet. Lily had left the party after the incident, but not before a few sisterly hugs from Sarah and me. Becky and Rich had disappeared early on in the night to the beds, I suspected. Apart from that, James' party was like any of his previous ones; a cigarette-smoke filled room chock full of horny teens and a lot of alcohol.

There was, however, a small scuffle when Sarah was accosted by a boy who pressed her up against a wall in an attempt to kiss her. She'd given him a smashing right hook to the jaw when Danny came back from getting her a drink and all hell broke loose when James arrived on the scene, found out what had happened, and punched the boy's two front teeth out and banned him from any future parties.

Not that he's the jealous type or anything.

I woke the next morning early, as was now the norm for me, ran to the toilets and threw up.

Breakfast in the Great Hall was slightly more awkward than usual; Becky and Rich were over at the Ravenclaw table and Dom wasn't speaking much. Albus, Scorpius and Chelsea were over at the Slytherin table so effectively it was just Sarah, Danny, Amy, James and little old me.

Oh and my unborn child.

Why do I keep doing that? Every time I manage to forget for a few minutes that I have a huge dilemma on my hands (or in my stomach) a masochistic part of me pipes up and reminds me of it. My current policy is to ignore it.

Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

"It hurts so much, Jamie baby. Can you take me up to the hospital wing after breakfast?" Amy simpered with a babyish fake-sob.

Sarah raised her eyebrows in disgusted scepticism.

"You know, I might sue for damages." Amy continued in a pained voice, pointing to her shoulder.

James didn't reply or show any sign he'd even heard her as he spread liberal amounts of chocolate spread on his toast. Danny and I exchanged incredulous glances. Sarah snorted disparagingly.

"I don't know why you're laughing!" Amy snapped hysterically at her. "I could have you kicked off your precious team!" She squealed, cradling her shoulder.

"Put a sock in it will you? It's hard enough trying to eat breakfast in peace with the first years around, let alone with you yakking away and whining." I huffed over the newspaper I was holding.

Amy looked at me in surprise. So did James, Sarah and Danny for that matter. Amy had been going on in this vein for about ten minutes about her bloody shoulder and I hadn't said a word about it.

"I'm serious!" Amy said to Sarah, deciding to ignore my comment.

"If you can't stand the heat then stay out of the dragon pen." Sarah advised, biting into her own toast.

Amy made a frustrated little growl and stood up, startling the owl that had brought me the paper and making it fly away in indignation, after grabbing one of the little pieces of toast I had been feeding it.

"James!" She squeaked. James didn't even look up at her.

"Sit down, my little kebab." He said to her calmly. When she did, he looked at her.

"Now, Sarah might look like some kind of mouth-watering goddess or delicate flower, but inside she's a homicidal pitbull or some kind of many-headed vicious monster-" at this point he made the shape of snapping jaws with his hands and growled like a rabid dog -"so it's best not to piss her off unless you really don't value your life." He said sweetly, as if talking to a small child, pointing to Sarah, who looked amused. Danny laid his arm around her looking like he was stifling a laugh and Amy smiled suddenly.

"Okay jellybean." She said to James with her scary smile.

She then grabbed his hair (quite roughly) and brought him forward to kiss her. This went on for about five minutes, with her moaning loudly and opening her eyes and looking smugly at Sarah, who looked revolted.

"Come on, baby." Amy said in her high-pitched and irritating voice, before she dragged James from the hall as was now the usual way things went.

"Well." I said, eyes wide.

"She makes mental illness look like a lot of fun doesn't she?" Sarah said, with a humourless half smile.

I laughed for the first time that day and had my first little moment where I forgot my troubles.

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><p><strong>REVIEW READERLINGS ;) Sarita loves ya x<strong>


	12. 11: Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough

**Chapter 11: Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough**

Sometimes you can give someone all the love you think one person can possibly hold, but it's not enough to make them love you back. Sometimes you can wish on all the stars in the sky, and pray to all the Gods and Goddesses in existence but it won't make her love you instead of him. Sometimes you can love someone so much that it hurts to look at them, and when you're alone all you can think about is being with them. And when you are with them you're ecstatically out-of-this world happy or completely and utterly melancholy from wishing you were more than friends. Sometimes she looks at him and your heart cries because once upon a time that lovely, mischievous look was directed at you. Your heart is breaking and your body's aching from wanting to be with her.

As some incredibly wise muggles once said – sometimes love just ain't enough.

Unfortunately, mine's the desperate love going to waste. I'm the one praying to Gods that can't possibly help me, and wishing on stars that are too far away to care. I'm the one aching when she comes into sight and feeling the pang and jealousy of love unrequited. My thoughts are consumed by her and only her, my dreams, goals and desires point to her and her alone. I want to kiss her when she comes within a five metre radius. My heart is the one that's crying over just her _smile_ directed at another man, never mind the love she's giving to the other man without a second thought. My heart's the one that's breaking, and mine's the body that's aching.

I'll tell you, some young girls speak about how they love someone who they've dated for about a week, but they've got nothing on me.

I've loved her for years. I'll love her forever.

My name is James Potter. I'm in love. And I think it's driving me mad.

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><p>"Mr Potter, I wonder if it's too much to ask for the wondrous and elusive thing that is your attention." The Arithmancy professor said to me, clicking her tongue in annoyance and tapping the board with her wand.<p>

"Sorry miss. I saw an interesting cloud." I said lazily. A pretty Hufflepuff girl who sat in front of me in class turned around in her seat and laughed, as did others in the class.

That's me, the clown.

"Just pay attention please, James. This branch of divination is especially tedious when you haven't listened to the instructions." The professor continued to me.

I nodded once, feeling bored. I only took this subject so I could have some sort of insight into Sarah's world. She was interested in the future and had an affinity to the occult and esoteric studies and I just loved to be a part of her world. I loved her reading my fortune under any context, because I had serious time alone with her, like old times. Plus it was interesting, but mainly the being-near-her thing.

The Hufflepuff girl was still looking at me. She was quite pretty I suppose, with straight honey-blonde hair down her back and chocolaty eyes, but her looks did nothing for me. For a start her slim body couldn't hold a candle to the curves I knew and loved so much, her hair wasn't black as night and mirror-shiny. Her eyes weren't blue and she had nothing on the Amazonian beauty that I loved. I avoided her eye contact and eventually she looked away, blushing, embarrassed and indignant at the fact that I hadn't given her a second look or even acknowledged the fact that she was a girl.

"Right, I'll let you out early, but I want you to find someone and ask them to do a reading on you, whether it is Ancient Runes or tea leaves, Tarot, palm reading or anything else. Then I want you to give them an Arithmancy reading and record both your results in your readings log." The professor said.

She ushered us out and I carefully avoided the gaze of the Hufflepuff girl as she pressed herself against me in a race for the door that everyone had crowded up against in order to make a bid for freedom before the teacher called us back. Even her slim and petite warm body against my back did nothing for me and I ignored her yet again.

I wandered to the hall in my own little world to sit and while away the time of my free period. When I saw the red hair of Rosie sat in the middle of the Gryffindor table, up to her neck in homework probably not due for about a year, I made a beeline towards her. Rose is probably my favourite cousin, even though she's a girl and I've got millions of male cousins to pick from. Obviously I love my other cousins to bits (real family man, me) but she really understands me, and I think I understand her too.

"What's up, badger face?" I said in a greeting as I strutted over to her and ruffled her hair.

It's a habit and personal talent of mine to find new and interesting words to call my nearest and dearest.

"Greetings are really going downhill aren't they?" She said dryly without looking up.

There was a smudge of ink on her cheek and a tiny stub of a pencil tucked behind her ear. She sometimes reminded me so much of Aunt Hermione that it was uncanny.

"They get more and more interesting every day." I said, walking around the table to throw myself on the seat opposite her. She was still scrawling on the piece of parchment.

"Any idea where Sarah is?" I asked after a minute, looking around the hall.

"That should be in your top ten phrases you know, Jay. But yeah, she's got double Divination before break so she's in the second hour of that." Rose said looking up at me and sweeping the hair out of her pretty eyes. I nodded.

"That's good, I need her to do a Tarot on me or a runes reading or something." I said shrugging.

"Oh right. I'd offer to do a rune reading on you but I know you'd rather she do it." She said with the ghost of her former cheeky smile.

She hadn't been herself recently in any way. The bags under her eyes were scarcely concealed with makeup but you could see the tiredness in her eyes themselves. When she smiled nowadays it rarely touched her eyes.

"Well, yeah. Plus, she's better at it." I said before ducking out of punching range.

"Yeah well, to you she can do no wrong." Rose said once she had finally caught me around the ear with her open palm.

"Apart from the whole dumping-me-and-going-out-with-a-complete-prat thing of course. That _was_ a bit of a faux pas, I must say." I sighed. She looked up at me and put her quill down, opening her mouth.

"We're always talking about my problem. I think yours is a little more important." I said loudly and meaningfully. She sighed.

"When are you going to tell everyone else? When are you going to tell your _parents_? I think they're going to notice at Christmas when you hop off the train with a baby bump and say 'Hi mum and dad, look what I've done this term!'" I said to explain the argument I'd been working on for days.

I knew if I didn't have a decent argument she'd completely trample all over my points before I could get them across. But it's not like she hadn't done her homework for something or that she fancied someone she shouldn't – she was _pregnant._

Rose ran her hands through her hair and looked around the practically empty hall.

"I don't know. _I don't know. _I'm scared, James." She admitted quietly, putting her head in her hands. I grabbed one of her hands over the table.

"Have you thought about your other options?" I said quietly. She looked up quickly, looking years older than just seventeen.

"Abortion? Or adoption?!" She hissed. "Don't you think I've considered that?" She moaned.

"Well if you don't want to keep it then what other choices do you have? Because I think leaving a little bundle of joy on some church doorstep is a bit cliché." I said dryly.

"Think about it, James. I'm a Weasley. It's in the top four most famous names in Wizarding history, in the entire Wizarding _world_, after Voldemort, Potter and Dumbledore! Imagine how many people would want a Weasley baby just to raise it and then write some article to a paper claiming the kid to fame! Imagine me going to an abortion clinic and booking an appointment. Even under a false name people would recognise my face and if I transfigured myself the abortion magic would make it wear off – I looked it up! Then the nurses who did the abortion would write an article themselves and I'd be fucked! I'm between a rock and a hard place!" Rose said quickly.

I obviously wasn't the only one losing sleep over this.

"You've put a lot of thought into this." I said after about three minutes staring at her and knowing it was all true.

"Of course I have, it's the only thing I can _ever_ think about." She admitted, resting her head on her palm and squeezing my hand.

"Well in that respect I know how you feel. My problems aren't as severe I know, and not as life changing. But I'll be by your side every step of the way. And so will everyone else. I'm not saying you should tell everyone straight away, but I think at least Freddie should know. He's your boyfriend after all." I said in a rare moment of seriousness.

Rose looked at me for a long moment.

"Yes. I know it's not fair on him. But this situation isn't fair on anyone. And I have only myself to blame." Rose said with the kind of maturity she's had since birth.

"It's not just your fault. Scorpius is equally to blame." I said fairly. Rose looked at me strangely.

"That's the first time you've acknowledged that he's the father." She said. I nodded.

"It's the first time I've actually accepted that you're pregnant, never mind who the father is." I sighed. Rose squeezed my hand again.

"I'm sorry" She said quietly.

"Well there's nothing you can do about it, we've got to play the hand we're dealt." I said with a smile. "When life gives you lemons, shut up and eat your damn lemons!" I added with a wider grin. Rose smiled back and withdrew her hand to finish her homework.

"Hello babies." Sarah said from out of nowhere.

I thought I'd smelt her perfume; the smell that clung to her skin and hair steadfastly. To me, it smelt of mornings lying in bed watching her sleep and wondering why she was with me, of laughter and happiness and companionship. The smell of love.

Oh _now_ I'm just getting cheesy! Thank god I didn't say it out loud...

"Hey." Rose had said, looking up once again.

Sarah sat down next to me and dumped her handbag on the table before resting her head on it.

"I'm so _tired_!" She said, voice muffled by her bag.

"Join the club" I replied lazily, stroking her long hair which had fanned out across the table.

"Give me a massage while you're at it, Jay?" She said with a laugh, sitting up and leaning over the table to see what Rose was working on.

_Don't tempt me, I'm a little slavey boy for you... _

"Oh by the way..." I said, ignoring my thoughts "...d'you mind doing a reading on me? Like Tarot or something? It's for Arithmancy." I explained. Sarah looked at me, head rested on her hand.

"Yeah, all right." She replied as Rose looked up from her work. "Let's go now, while I'm awake. I'm going to bed then I think. It's ridiculously cold even for winter and I'm bloody exhausted." Sarah sighed, gathering her things and starting towards the stone steps.

_I could warm her bed up for her..._

"I'll come up too" Rose said, packing up her things speedily. "And for god's sake James, _don't_ say what I think you're going to say to her." She said to me under her breath as Sarah turned around at the foot of the steps to wait for us.

I looked at my cousin, eyes wide. She looked sceptical.

"How did you-?" I said.

"Typical boy!" She exclaimed, rolling her hazy blue eyes and stomping up the steps with Sarah.

Typical _Rose_, more like.

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

I watched Sarah take the shuffled and cut cards from James and snap them down onto the table expertly. I don't know whether he believes in it or not, he just liked to be near her in a one-on-one. She certainly believes in it, I like to keep an open mind, as does Dom, but Becky is as cynical as they come and won't believe a word of it. The fact that she doesn't believe makes me even more inclined to believe it, especially since the few readings I've had off Sarah have spookily been dead on.

"This card here-" Sarah pointed to a card nearest me in a straight line of about six cards. "-Is your distant past; the Ten of Cups." She said.

I walked over to where they sat in front of the coffee table and sat a few feet away, leaving my bag of heavy old books by the chairs. James looked at me quickly then back at Sarah.

"It looks happy..." He said hesitantly.

"It's a brilliant card, honestly." Sarah assured him. "It means that in your distant past you were exceptionally happy and knew exactly what your hopes and dreams were. It's also an indication of marriage as well as sensual pleasure and a lot of love being given and received." Sarah explained. She looked uncomfortable as James smiled sadly and knowingly at me. I grimaced back.

"Next card. This is your recent past." She said, pointing to what I recognised as the Three of Swords – a heart being pierced by three swords. James grimaced at it.

"It means you couldn't bear or understand the pain of separation and were finding it difficult to see why you were inflicted with such deep sorrow. It's a bad card indicating sadness, tears, misery at the loss - whether emotional or actual - of a cherished one." She said, looking even sadder at this card. James patted her hand.

"You don't have to do any more if you don't want to, love." He said. She considered him for a moment.

"No. I can be a professional I just find it hard to do accurate readings for people I care about." She said with a grin. James winked and squeezed her hand again before withdrawing it.

"Now, this is you at your present position." Sarah said in a businesslike tone, pointing to a card in the middle of the straight line spread.

"This card is the Ace of Swords and it's upside down or _reversed_, which generally means that to reach your goals you need to not apply so much pressure and be careful. It means don't be in a rush to take what you think is yours because you could lose it in the rush. It means you may have opposition or a rival in any venture which could cause delay."

So far, this was all dead right. James nodded, eyes narrowed in a thoughtful frown as he looked at me.

Moving on...

"This card here is your desires; what you want more than anything at the moment" Sarah said, now pointing to the Two of Cups, a man and a woman on the card were holding cups and smiling at each other.

"And it looks happy again." James said, trying to sound as if he knew what he was on about. Sarah nodded.

"It means you want deep love and understanding that only comes between a man and a woman, it means you want to be happy and the key is with this woman here." She tapped the card. James grinned at me and nodded.

"That makes sense." He said meaningfully at me. Sarah nodded.

"Amy" She said with a smile. James looked confused.

"Oh yeah, of course." He exclaimed as if he'd just had a revelation. When Sarah looked at the cards he rolled his eyes at me over her head.

"This one is the obstacle in the way of your desires." She said, pointing to what I knew vaguely as the Knight of Cups.

"This Knight here is a handsome young man but his position in the spread suggests that he is a rival in love... someone after Amy maybe?" Sarah said, looking up at him quizzically. James nodded.

"Perhaps." He said, again looking meaningfully at me when Sarah pointed to the last card.

"This is your future - What will come. This is the Six of Cups. The meaning is that an old lover may reappear or that a love affair with roots in the past may be rekindled. Also could mean that something that happened in the past, possibly a relationship whether friendship or loving, may be reconsidered by all parties involved and that past and present efforts may bring future results." Sarah said carefully, trying to remember the definitions.

James grinned at me wider than I thought his face could even stretch.

"Wicked, thank you my little kitten!" He said, standing up and after stooping to kiss her and realising what he was trying to do, he patted her head awkwardly. He then walked towards the stairs to the boys dorm.

"Did you write it all down?" Sarah asked quizzically after him as she packed away the cards carefully and put them into the red and white silken box she kept them in. James turned around but kept on walking

"Nope, got it all up here." James said tapping his head and looking at us, instead of where he was walking. He was about to wave to us or something when he fell over the leg of a chair and after stumbling, fell into the comfy sofa.

"And that's _all_ he's got up there..." Sarah said dryly.

We looked at each other, and laughed.

* * *

><p><span>Sarah<span>

That night I lay in bed thinking everything through and occasionally the rain patter against the window through a gap in my curtains. I knew how many others must be laying awake thinking things over too, over whatever, but mainly I was focusing on the two other people who were probably, if not definitely, thinking over the same situation as I.

Rose and James.

I still couldn't believe she was pregnant. I'd known her since she was 11 and if someone had told me that here we'd be, aged seventeen, all lying awake (which I knew they both were too) and wondering about the consequences of her pregnancy I probably would have laughed in their face.

But here I am.

I'd wondered a thousand times what would happen when her parents found out. I hadn't asked Rose when she was planning on telling them, but I knew she was wondering it too.

Her mother would be disappointed (wouldn't yours be?) but I think she'd accept it. Rose is her only daughter, and Hermione Weasley is one of the most understanding and forgiving people I've ever met.

Her father on the other hand...

Well that was a different story entirely, I'm sure. He's hardly an ogre – in fact I can't count the amount of times I've been to Rose's for the holidays or when I was with James to his house and Ron has been there, cracking jokes and making us all laugh. But every father would be angry and disappointed that his only daughter, his baby, was pregnant when she was really just a child herself.

And then there was the media. They'd have a bloody field day. There already has to be over twenty full-time guards around Hogwarts just to keep the various children of the heroes of the Second Wizarding War safe from harm and the paparazzi. Rose is one of the most famous teenage girls in our society, what with being the eldest daughter of two thirds of the Golden Trio. Although to be fair, James, Albus, Lily and Hugo are all chased around by the media vultures as well. In fact although I was somewhat known-of in society before, when I was going out with James our names were in the papers and magazines almost every day, which had been a shock for me, since coming from having a few pictures in every few weeks to every day. Obviously I got over it, since it really promoted my modelling, but it really was just a tiny plus in a million of them that came with being with James, obviously at the end of the list, of course after the love and fun and happiness that I had with him.

But that's a story for a rainy day...

So, I concluded as I rolled over and listened to the calm, oblivious breathing of Danny, Becky and Dom, the long and the short of it was that the minute the press caught even a _hint_ that Rose was pregnant she was finished.

If it's one thing I've learned since I've been in the spotlight – the media doesn't keep secrets.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Thanks everyone for the reviews! I just wrote my 31st chapter and am constantly tweaking the story! BUT at least you all know that I won't leave this fic hanging halfway through. Please review your thoughts - I know it's a bit filler-y but I needed to get some perspectives on Rose from other people in the story to see her from the outside. **PLEASE REVIEW** it feeds my soul with cakes._

_-Sarita x_


	13. Chapter 12: Heartache Tonight

**Chapter 12: Heartache Tonight**

For the rest of October I lived in a bubble of denial. Every morning, I woke up, threw up under the _silencio_ charm so as not to wake the girls, deflated the bags under my eyes and carried on as usual. I went to my lessons, did my homework on the night it was set, went shifting with the others and cried myself to sleep. And then the whole rotten routine started all over again.

"Are you all right Rosie?" Becky asked in her quiet voice in Charms on the second Friday of November.

I almost jumped out of my seat; I had been thinking how obvious it would be in the coming months that I was pregnant.

"I'm fine thanks, Becks." I lied dully.

Her forehead creased reproachfully at me but she continued writing again, this time angling her paper subtly so I could see her notes over her shoulder. I forced a smile at her when she looked pointedly at me and then back down at her notes and I began copying the notes that I had been too distracted to write down.

That day passed as painfully slowly as all the others had and I drifted numbly from classroom to classroom until I found myself in the common room that night at 1 o clock in the morning with James, Albus, Scorpius, Sarah, Becky and Dom. Danny had been here but him and his best mate Steve had gone to sneak into the Three Broomsticks to get some Butterbeers.

"You wouldn't believe the amount of Arithmancy homework I've got." James said to start the conversation going. We had been sat in sleepy silence for the last five minutes.

Sarah shifted in her seat between James and Albus to wake herself up but instead rested her head on Albus' shoulder, eyes fixed on the fire. Becky tried to stifle a yawn from on the floor in front of the fire.

"I hear you, mate. You should see my Transfiguration notes." Scorpius said from on one of the squishy armchairs.

"Oh it's mental isn't it... for us mere mortals. Rose has been doing all her homework the night it's set." Dom teased from another armchair. I looked up in shock from my position on the floor with my back resting against Scorpius' chair.

"I've had nothing else to do." I said, hearing how dull I sounded in my own voice.

"We should get out more. The shifting really should be a weekly thing; it'd help with my aggression." Dom replied, baring her teeth in a psychotic smile to show she was joking. James smiled sleepily with his eyes closed and leaned into Sarah, who automatically put her arm around him so he could lie with his head on her shoulder more comfortably.

"Hear, hear." Albus said drowsily and the room that contained only us seven lapsed into more comfortable silence.

After a minute I felt Scorpius' gentle fingers running through my hair, teasing it into a loose plait. I relaxed and closed my eyes and must have drifted off for a while because when I awoke again the guys were talking. I kept my eyes shut tight and listened carefully.

"Is Ro asleep?" I heard Scorpius deep voice sound from just behind me, continuing to soothe my stressed head with his cool fingertips.

"Think so." Replied a dozy-sounding Albus.

"What's been up with her recently?" Scorpius continued in a quieter voice, still stroking my hair lightly.

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked quickly, sounding slightly more alert than before.

"Well lately she's been a bit..." He trailed off.

"She's not herself." Dom finished for him.

"I've been thinking that too." Becky said thoughtfully from somewhere to my right.

"She's probably just worn out from all the work she's been doing." James said, sounding slightly uncomfortable.

"That's probably it, you know." Sarah added, teaming up with James.

"Well I don't buy it. She's always been tired from all the work she does and she's never been so...passive. For instance, the other day Amy was obviously referring to Hugo when she was talking about 'some redheaded boy who had about as much quidditch talent as a flobberworm' and Rose didn't say anything. I did obviously, but that's not the point. If she'd said that any other time Rose would have eaten her for breakfast!" Dom argued her case quietly, so as not to 'wake' me.

"I agree, that _is_ weird." Albus said sagely.

"I think I might know what's wrong with her." Becky said softly. I stiffened internally and waited.

"Go on..." Sarah and James said together, sounding equally panicked.

"Well think about it... a few weeks ago Rose said about her boobs getting bigger all of a sudden didn't she girls?"

"Yes..." Dom said slowly.

"And then she became ill and started throwing up in the mornings... and on Monday morning I was awake and I saw her being sick again." Becky said, obviously biting her lip.

My heart almost stopped beating and Scorpius' fingers stopped massaging my scalp suddenly.

"You think she's pregnant?!" He asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

"Shh! Don't wake her..." Becky said anxiously.

"That's ridiculous. Who's slept with Rosie recently for a start?" Albus asked as if that proved his point.

Becky and Dom went silent very abruptly; suddenly both realising that I was indeed pregnant, and in unison twigging that the boy with his hands tangled in my hair was the father. I remembered that I'd told Dom the morning after I'd slept with Scorpius and that Becky and Sarah had found out later. Sarah and James on the other hand had lapsed into panicked stillness, silently deliberating what to say next.

I waited for Scorpius to wonder aloud whether he was the father, but he was far too smart for that, not knowing that all but Albus of the people in the room knew that he had slept with me and now knew that he was indeed the father.

"Has Freddie had sex with her recently?" Scorpius asked suddenly, sounding as if he had tried to stifle the question but failed.

"I don't know." Dom replied, sounding quizzical herself.

"So we actually think she's pregnant?!" Albus asked in utter disbelief.

"Yes." Becky replied almost soundlessly after a full minute's silence.

"Dom?" Albus asked in complete incredulity at her answer.

"Sounds like it." Dom said, sounding surprised at her own answer.

"What about you, Sare?" Albus asked next, in horror.

"I don't know." She replied simply. I blessed her from the bottom of my heart at that moment.

"James?" Albus asked.

"I wouldn't like to say." James said loyally. A rush of love for my cousin came forth then and I felt almost tearful.

"What do you think, Scorpius?" Dom asked suddenly while Albus sat in shocked silence.

"I don't know what to think anymore." Scorpius sighed after a few minutes, sounding utterly depressed.

That's when I _really_ felt tearful.

* * *

><p>"What are we going to do about it?" Becky asked anxiously a few minutes later. I breathed deeply to feign sleep and it must have worked because everyone had raised their voices slightly from the hushed whispers of before.<p>

"Here, fetch us the Hoover, I'll sort it." James said cheerfully, trying to inject some humour into the situation.

"What_ can_ we do about it?" Dom sighed, ignoring our cousin.

"We don't even know for sure yet guys; don't get ahead of yourselves." Albus said quickly.

"Oh come on Albus, even _I'm_ pretty sure she is now. Think about how bouncy and bubbly she is usually, and for the last two months she's been depressed as hell, with bags the size of Hogwarts under her eyes!" Scorpius said, sounding irrationally annoyed. "It's only Sarah and James now that refuse to give their opinions on it!" He added accusingly.

"Just because we don't _have_ opinions on it!" Sarah replied.

"Please don't try that, Sare. You know Rose best and you've been pretty damn tight lipped about what's really wrong with her! So either you're just stupid or you think we're stupid!" Scorpius said to her, sounding uncharacteristically angry. I was shocked – Scorpius and Sarah always got on really well.

"Oi! Don't you fucking _dare _talk to her like that!" James barked fiercely, forgetting to keep his voice down and from the sound of it, attempting to get to his feet.

"No, Scorpius is right!" Sarah protested in a loud voice, over Scorpius and James.

"So you do know something?!" Dom spat heatedly, also growing louder.

Suddenly I couldn't listen to it anymore. I jumped to my feet.

"Shut up all of you!" I yelled, not troubling to keep my voice down. There was immediate shocked silence –even James and Sarah hadn't known I was awake. Everyone looked up at me.

"Well...is it true?" Albus asked as calmly as possible after a second of me glaring and them all looking up at me with wide eyes.

"Yes, unfortunately it bloody is!" I replied.

"_What the fuck, Rose?_ You shouldn't be keeping stuff like this quiet!" Dom hissed, trying to keep her voice low, although I'd already cast Muffliato around the room when we started talking.

Scorpius stared at me with shock in his baby blues, and another emotion I didn't try to decode at that point.

"How could you let this happen?" Scorpius asked sounding disappointed.

Suddenly I felt the tears welling up again...how would I ever be able to tell him if he was disappointed in me like this? Oh no...Don't cry, Rose, for gods sake don't cry...

"It takes two to tango." James parroted my words at Scorpius from all those weeks ago, still looking somewhat fierce on Sarah's behalf. James's words were full of meaning as he glared at the father of my unborn child – maybe my baby-daddy didn't know it yet, but James wasn't going to forget or forgive him anytime soon.

"You sound awfully bloody calm about this James; you would have hit the roof any other time! You knew didn't you?!" Dom snapped at James. Sarah opened her mouth to defend him but Dom rounded on her instead.

"Don't try and defend him. You're no better! You helped Rose lie to us!" She said aggressively.

"I was obviously going to tell you!" I protested in their defence.

"What, when you got so big you couldn't hide it?" Scorpius snapped. He was definitely sore about something other than the fact that I hadn't told him but I couldn't put my finger on what.

"Guys..." Becky said weakly, looking from my tear-filled eyes to the angry face of Dom, the frown on James' face and Scorpius' moody glares. She was our friendly neighbourhood diplomat, other than Albus, and was trying hard by the look on her face to diffuse the tension in the room.

"Did you know about this too?" Dom asked, apparently on a rampage as she looked down at her best friend.

"No of course I didn't!" Becky snapped, for once sounding angry. Dom looked surprised and tried to retrace her steps.

"No...Of course you didn't. Err...sorry." She said sheepishly. "But I expected better of you two!" She added to James and Sarah.

"And you!" She added to me.

And to my horror, she shot me a reproachful, angry look and with that, stormed up to the Girls dormitory.

* * *

><p>We watched Dom leave in a slow-motion kind of horrified silence – she'd never lashed out at us like that before. Her feisty temper usually exploded outwards. James stood up and pulled me into a hug and I began sobbing. The worst part is that I could hear the heartbreak in my own crying... and so could everyone else.<p>

I'd always thought heartbreak was when a thirteen year old girl got in over her head and got hurt by a boy, but I never thought I could feel so bad just because one of the most important people in my life wasn't there to support me. James quickly wrapped me in his embrace and Becky scrambled to her feet and patted my shoulder awkwardly until James released me and I flung myself into her arms. James went back to sit by Sarah, who was looking up at me sadly, as if guilty she had done something wrong by me. James sat beside her and pulled her towards him and they sat together, her encircled in his arms as he patted her arm comfortingly. For once his comforting hug was reciprocated by her and she threw her arms around his chest and leant on his shoulder. She closed her eyes as if exhausted and just rested there.

I'd been stupid to think I was the only one being affected by keeping this secret.

Over Becky's shoulder I saw Albus get up and when Becky went over to see Scorpius, Albus came to stand in front of me and looked down at me sadly.

"I'm so sorry, Ro." And then I was off blubbing again and I was in his arms crying like the baby I would have.

He held me at arms length suddenly and I hiccoughed and wiped my eyes.

"Rose, who is the father?" Albus asked very seriously.

Oh Christ…

"Is it Freddie?" Scorpius suddenly asked.

"Maybe" I lied tearful, trying to sound thoughtful rather than coy. I would rather he think I were a slag than have to tell him that he was going to be a father. He was far too angry to accept any news lightly.

And with that, Scorpius stormed out of the common room and I was again left feeling lonely.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

Albus, Sarah and I slept down in the common room that night. As soon as Rose had watched Scorpius go, she drifted up to bed accompanied by Becky, mumbling some excuses. Sarah would have gone with them, and I would have certainly gone to bed if Sarah hadn't fallen asleep in my arms.

Any other night I would have kicked Albus out of the room and enjoyed the heat of her body on mine in solitude, allowing myself to think testosterone-fuelled thoughts that I probably shouldn't be thinking, but tonight there were more pressing matters than my desperate, unrequited love. Once I'd made sure she was asleep, I turned to Albus, who was sprawled out over one of the armchairs, hair tousled and long legs hanging over the side of the chair.

"Why d'you think Scorpius was so pissed off?" I asked.

"Because he thinks Rose's been sleeping with Freddie already." Albus replied sounding old before his years.

"Oh. Why would that piss him off?" I asked.

"Because he's almost as obsessed over Rose as you are over Sarah." Albus replied with a sigh.

"Oh shut it." I advised, irritated that everyone could see it but her.

"Well it's true, Jay. Look at you; you're practically drooling over her right now." Albus said quietly.

"Well...whatever." I replied lamely. "Back to the matter at hand. I didn't know Scorpius liked Rose?" I asked to get off the subject of my painfully obvious obsession.

"Oh yeah, he's liked her since First year. He'd just about worked up the balls to say it to her when Freddie asked her out in Fifth year." Albus said matter-of-factly. "He was gutted." He added.

"Jesus. I didn't know that. Surely he can't think the baby is Freddie's?" I asked before realising my mistake and screaming internally.

"Not that it isn't." I added quickly, trying to eat my words.

"It isn't though, is it?" Albus asked, looking me straight in the eyes.

"I have no idea." I lied as convincingly as possible.

"Bollocks. You knew before we did and I can't see you or Sarah dropping the subject until Rose had told you who the daddy is. Because it _is_ Scorpius isn't it?" My brother replied, never ceasing to amaze me with his intelligence.

"Where did you get an idea like that?" I asked, shocked.

"It doesn't take a genius. Look at her reaction when he asked her who the father was; like a deer in headlights. Plus I saw them the night of your party getting off on the sofa... Rose was off her face." Albus explained sensibly.

"_She_ was off her face?" I asked, wondering why he hadn't said Scorpius was too.

"Yeah, he was a bit tipsy but she was already leading him to bed and he's completely besotted with her. I don't think he took much persuading, though I'd like to think he at least pretended to put up a fight." He pulled a face to show he was concerned with our cousin's honour. "He doesn't know I know by the way, and it's only a theory. Am I right?" He replied.

I was gobsmacked; I must have got the looks because he obviously got the brains. Although unfortunately he got the looks too, with Dad's emerald eyes and slight frame.

Sometimes god gives with both hands apparently, worst luck.

"Yes. You're right. It's Scorpius." I said, not seeing a point to lying –he'd find out anyway.

"Hmm. What's she going to do?"

"I think she's got to keep it...the walls have ears as we well know." I said.

"How does she feel about that?"

"Well I think she'd rather she never put herself in this position, with Scorpius' help obviously, but I don't think she could have a...y'know." I said uncomfortably.

"Yes, I see. I doubt she could have it put up for adoption either."

"It would be so hard in so many ways." I said, realising me and Albus had never had this deep a conversation.

"Well, she's got us whatever she decides hasn't she." He stated. I nodded and stroked Sarah's back as she pressed her chest against mine in her sleep, sending pleasurable shivers down my spine. This action didn't go unnoticed by Albus.

"What are you going to do about your little situation then?" He asked, nodding his head towards her.

"Only the gods know. I wish I could stop feeling this way about her... it'd be so simple if I really loved Amy, if I could stand her company it would be a start. But I love being in love with Sarah. She makes me happy. She makes all of me happy." I said, thinking of her heart beating in time with mine.

"You've never been so soppy, James." Albus said, apparently surprised that I had deep feelings for anyone.

Why was everyone so bleedin' surprised that I was still absolutely smitten? It's not only girls that suffer the agony of unrequited love!

God, I sound like a 12 year old girl, even in my head.

"Yeah, well..." I said, ignoring my soppy thoughts as Sarah moved her hand from on my shoulder to fling it around my waist, holding me tighter against her.

Jeeeeeesus, this _really_ isn't fair...

Albus didn't know how much of a wreck I was when Sarah broke my heart (God I sound pathetic) and I don't intend for him to ever find out. I only hope that he never feels the pain of it himself.

At least I know Scorpius and I have something else in common, although it's no consolation to me.

"Can I have your bed Jay? My back's killing me." Albus said after some sleepy moments. I nodded and Albus left me alone, holding the girl I would always want and need as my own.

* * *

><p><em>AN: ENORMOUS thanks to everyone who reviewed! MEANS SO MUCH. _

_To __**Katy-kat15 –**__Thank you so much… yeah I totally agree about James! Your comments made me hug myself in happiness…I'm sad like that._

_**HalfBloodBanana**__ – I cackled in ecstasy like an old crone when I read your comments. Loving the name as well!_

_**FishCustard with Gingers** – I was so distracted by your hilarious and very weird name that I had to read your review three or four times to take it in. Obviously doesn't take much to distract me! :D_

_I read __EVERY SINGLE REVIEW__ to the point of obsession. I'm cool like that. I also check out everybody's profile who reviews, because some people's wit makes me laugh. I love it._

_Please do your bit and review, and I will continue to do my bit by putting on Fleetwood Mac and entering Rose's world :)_

_-Sarita x_


	14. Chapter 13: Forgiveness

**Chapter 13: Forgiveness**

Rose

I woke the next morning feeling strangely happy...and then everything came back to me. I sat up suddenly in bed, looked around the room, noticed Dom and Becky were nowhere to be seen and then I rushed to the bathroom, threw up, brushed my teeth thoroughly, went back into the dormitory. That's when I noticed Sarah sat alone in the windowsill, looking out through the rain-spattered pane.

"The girls had gone before I came up and I haven't seen anyone else this morning." She explained, sliding off the windowsill and coming to give me a hug which I sank into.

We sat down on my bed and Sarah began silently plaiting her hair into tiny braids and undoing them as we leant against my headboard.

"What'd you mean when you came up?" I asked curiously after I had opened my bedside drawer and retrieved my trusty stash of Honeydukes finest chocolate and given Sarah a slab.

"Well I must have fallen asleep last night on the sofa. I woke up with a blanket over me though, which is weird. I don't even remember how I fell asleep." She replied, biting into the chocolate and sighing contentedly.

"Strange thing is that Danny was a bit funny with me this morning. When I woke up he was just sat there in the chair looking at me. Then he got all grumpy and blokey, you know what they're like." She added after a second. She shrugged and looked at me.

"You fell asleep on James" I remembered after a second of trying to think why he'd be acting oddly.

"Oh... bugger. He wasn't there when I woke up?" She replied with a question in her voice.

"Maybe he left; there is bacon in the Great Hall you know." I said with a small smile that I knew didn't touch my eyes. Sarah nodded knowingly.

"I feel so used!" She joked, placing a heart over her heart and looking mock-affronted. I grinned at her and she held up a pillow.

"Want to see how fat you're going to get?" She asked with a glint in her eyes. I laughed for the first time in what felt like decades and she passed it to me and grabbed one herself.

Ten minutes later we found ourselves lying down, laughing and munching on chocolate while we patted our huge fake stomachs. At the exact moment we had decide to play 'who can chuck the chocolate the highest and catch it in their mouth' we heard a knock at the door.

"I'll get it" Sarah said as we both strained to get up off the bed with our baby-bumps. I got to the door first and with a hand on my pillow-bump I opened the door and saw Albus, Dom, Becky and James stood there.

"God Rose, how far along are you?!" Dom asked in horror as they came in and ogled my stomach.

"No, these are pillows!" I said at once as James and Albus joined us on the bed and Dom took the furthest seat from us on the windowsill and Becky sat in the middle of the room on Dom's bed and looked anxiously between Dom and me. James began stroking Sarah's now huge belly.

"Look what we made sweetheart!" He said in a high-pitched voice and batting his eyelashes.

Sarah laughed and batted him away as she sat up on the bed and pulled the pillow out, putting it back in its rightful place. There was silence for a moment and Albus cleared his throat, hating the awkwardness in the room. I decided to speak before he said something to make us laugh; I needed to talk to Dom in particular.

"Dom, I-" I began, but she cut across me, holding up a hand.

"Look Rose, I'm not going to apologize for storming out on you last night, because I think I was well justified." She started stubbornly.

"I was just angry: I'm your flesh and blood! You didn't tell me before...other people." She said accusingly, glancing cautiously at Sarah.

"If you mean me then use my name will you Dom. And you should act like her flesh and blood if you're going to use that excuse." Sarah said calmly, defending me and herself at once.

"What do you mean by that?!" Dom asked hotly.

"Well, storming off like a child. Anyone would think you're the one who's pregnant, but no, it's Rose. And look at her just trying to play the hand she's been dealt." Sarah replied while I sat there helplessly looking between two of my best friends.

"I just apologized for that!"

"Which I accept!" I piped up quickly.

"Yeah and now you're back to criticise her for not telling you first! You know why I knew before you? Because I was there - I was there when she threw up all the time and lied to everyone to keep her secret safe! I was there when she took the test, and so was James, because he knew something was up and insisted on coming!" Sarah replied, neither her nor Dom acting as if they'd heard me.

James didn't look remotely annoyed at being dragged into it and instead was looking quietly proud.

"Oh all right, you know what? I was wrong!" She said to Sarah after a few seconds of just staring at her. "I'm just trying to tell you that I'll be here for you from now on." Dom said, turning to me. I nodded.

"Thank you." I said with a shaking voice.

"We'll _all_ be here for each other. We're a pack." Sarah said sternly.

Dom and Becky hopped up and came to hug me and once Dom released me she padded around the bed and Sarah stood up to look at (or down to) her. Dom opened her arms and Sarah hugged her with a small smile.

"Oh and I know who the father is Rosie." Dom said, glancing towards me after throwing herself down onto the bed and grabbing the chocolate that James and Albus had been sneakily tucking into. She looked slightly smug.

"Someone give the girl an award!" James said thickly through a mouthful of chocolate.

"What?" Dom asked.

"Everyone in here knows, Dom," Albus told her gently.

"Oh for God's sake." She sighed without sounding really cross, rolling her eyes and pinching some chocolate out of James' hand.

"Does he know?" I asked anxiously, referring to Scorpius.

"None of us have told him." Becky shrugged and everyone nodded to confirm this. I sighed in relief and knew that although I couldn't keep him in the dark forever I could at least handle it on my terms.

"He was looking for you earlier though," Albus said.

"Oh, and Freddie was, says he hasn't seen properly in what feels like ages," Becky chimed in, as if the thought had just reoccurred to her.

"Shit, that reminds me, I'd better go and see if Danny's got the hump with me," Sarah said, sitting up straight and biting her lip.

"I'll have the hump with you if you like?"

"Shut up, James."

* * *

><p>Minutes later I found myself walking towards the Great Hall, having dressed and scrubbed up as best I could.<p>

"Rosie!" Freddie said as soon as he saw me with a huge smile.

He was sitting with Chelsea and Scorpius, who didn't look best pleased. Freddie swivelled in his seat and stood up, taking my hips and gently pulling me towards him for a kiss. I responded with a sense of relief – Freddie's kisses always seemed to soothe my frazzled nerves. He dragged me down to sit with him after Scorpius cleared his throat loudly.

"So, Freddie, you were telling me about the new Nimbus..." Chelsea purred in a (fake) deep, breathy voice. She snaked her arm across the table and caressed Freddie's with her claws.

Whoops, I meant fingers.

"Been on the fags have you Chelsea? You sound like you smoke 50 a day." I quipped.

Okay, I couldn't resist. She's flirting with my boyfriend...in front of her own! She glared at me wordlessly.

Freddie looked at her with concern, as if she was very ill and pulled slowly away from her.

"Sorry, I'm going to go out and practice some dodging with Rose." He said uneasily, glancing at Chelsea as if she were a bit touched in the head. Which she is.

Scorpius looked at me meaningfully.

"Actually, Freddie could you wait here half an hour until lunch and then collect a few buns and meet me in the Entrance Hall? I need to update Scorpius on some library research I've been doing." I said and Scorpius nodded convincingly when Chelsea rounded on him.

"Course, if you want. See you in a few babe." Freddie said, kissing me on the lips and winking once. I smiled goofily.

"All right Rose, did you find out anything on that Ocean Mist poison that's been sending all those muggles to sleep?" Scorpius said as we left the table. I noticed that Scorpius did not kiss Chelsea, but instead patted her on the head.

Ha-ha! Like the dog she is!

"Yeah, actually I-" I began, as we left the Great Hall. That is, before Scorpius grabbed me and dragged me into an abandoned classroom, casting all sorts of spells on the doors and windows which were now apparently soundproof and locked.

Oh good, a hostage situation! Haven't had one of them for a while.

"Rose, what the hell is going on?" Scorpius asked after a while, turning to me with desperation in his eyes.

"Well you just locked me in a room." I said matter-of-factly. "It's 12.05am and provisions are running low!" I added as if speaking into a walkie-talkie.

"You're up the duff." Scorpius said, turning to face me.

"I don't know how you figured it out, Sherlock, I just don't!" I replied sarcastically.

"Rose, for god's sake be serious for once!" He said exasperatedly.

"All right, fine. I'm serious."

"Good. Well what the hell happened?" Scorpius said, plopping down on a dusty wooden table.

"What do you want... a diagram?" I asked dryly.

"Why are you acting like this, Ro?!" Scorpius asked, stung.

Even I realised I was being bitchy.

"Because everyone's on my bloody back about it! It's not the 50s! Girls get pregnant...and not just the silly slaggy ones, smart girls make mistakes too! None of my immediate family knows and now all of my best friends do! If you're such a genius you tell me how I should be acting!" I snapped back.

Scorpius said nothing for a moment and I began to feel really, really sick. I didn't know if it was from the pressure of arguing with him or the stress or whatever but now I really didn't fancy the bacon and egg sandwich probably waiting for me in the hall and instead would really like a sit down and a catch-up with a nice clean bucket.

"I'm sorry; I jut wanted to know whether...well you know, what's the deal with Freddie?" Scorpius replied in a softer voice, but looking just as stony. I walked towards him and sat on the table opposite him.

"Why does it matter to you? Can't you just... be there for me?" I asked.

"Because I really... because it... oh fucking hell Rose I can't answer that! Of course I'm going to be there for you - right 'til the end, but I just..." He tailed off, standing up and running his thin fingers through his soft hair.

"Anyone would think you're the pregnant one, you emotional retard. How exactly do you feel about me? Taking what happened between us into consideration." I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

I felt the nausea creeping over me in waves...He looked shell-shocked...what the hell was he going to say to this? And more importantly, why the hell had I asked him?

Oh bollocks.

* * *

><p><span>Scorpius<span>

I didn't know what she wanted me to do. I couldn't deny how special my night with her had been. It had been my first time ever and I know lads aren't supposed to hold the same significance to it that girls do but I did; because it was with her. I'd liked her for years, and I had to watch her get hurt by Freddie the first time and give herself to him completely, only to be broken-hearted at the end of it. And now she wanted to know how I felt about her?

"Scorpius? Did you hear me?" Rose said softly.

_Of course I did. I just don't know how to answer you…_

"How do you feel about me? I need to know." She asked, looking up at me with confused eyes. She's so pretty.

Oh Christ on a bike. I was halfway between blurting out how strongly-as-in-other-than-just-a-friend I really felt for her and running away. So I went halfway between two extremes…

I kissed her.

It was clumsy at first; despite the reputation I haven't kissed many girls. At all. My mouth moved against hers desperately and I gripped her to me, holding onto her as if my life depended on it. She pulled away after a mere second of kissing me back(which had been a fantastic second) and holding her mouth in shock ran to the bin, where she promptly threw up.

Oh come on: I know I'm hardly experienced, but I can't be that bad a kisser!

Can I?

Oh dear…

* * *

><p><em><strong>(It's probably very important to note here that when Rose quips to Chelsea that she's "been on the fags" she means "has been smoking cigarettes." In England we have a very odd dialect – Chelsea is not abusing American homosexuals.)<strong>_

_SO happy with the reviews they all made me make a weird squealy noise. Loving it! Keep it up!_

_Also, as I've said previously I have this fic on HPFF where I've made fan art to go with the story if you want to know what the characters look like in my head. Love you guys! -Sarita x_


	15. Chapter 14: Confusion

**Chapter 14: Confusion **

After the kiss I had fought my way out of the room, undoing all of Scorpius' spells while he leaned against one of the desks with his head in his hands. I hurried lunch with Freddie outside and then excused myself due to cold when he asked to practice Quidditch with him. He had nodded and smiled as he leant in for a kiss but I turned my cheek to his lips and rushed off, leaving yet another bloke running his fingers through his hair wondering what the hell was going on.

You're not alone boys, I'm confused as a very-confused-thing too.

Thankfully though, some people had bigger problems…

Later that night I found myself in the common room with James, Becky and Dom. We girls had been evicted out of the dormitory by Sarah. Tonight was the night she was going to finally give into Danny, and I was under strict personal instructions to not let anyone disturb them. Becky and Dom knew vaguely that Sarah and Danny didn't want to be disturbed, and were busying themselves like they usually did in the evening.

James was currently pissing around with his broomstick servicing kit happily enough, reading the back of the unopened pot of wax and humming absentmindedly. Becky was painting her toenails a violent shade of orange and Dom was reading a magazine. James hauled himself off the sofa suddenly and deposited the wrapper from his pot of broom wax into the wastepaper basket by the fire. Next thing I know he was grinning down at the bin.

That's weird even by his standards.

Then he stooped down and scooped out something from the bin.

Definitely borderline worrying even for James...

He held up the wrapper of what I knew to be a wizarding condom. If you're wondering, they're 'wizarding' condoms because they literally don't come off until you want them to, and they are impossible to break while at the same time being completely hygienic and wafer-thin. The guys actually don't mind wearing them, which is the main thing, and they protect against what they're supposed to.

Despite apparently not using one with Scorpius, I _do_ know what I'm talking about. Sort of.

"Ooh-err. Someone's been getting some." He said, chuckling as he straightened up.

"Yeah, I warned Sarah to put them somewhere else, or the First years will report us all and we'll all be forced to start shagging in the library or something." Dom said absentmindedly as she flicked the page of her latest 'Witch Weekly' before clapping a hand to her mouth.

James goggled at her in horror.

"What?" He said croakily. I groaned inaudibly. "She's sleeping with him then." He said, slumping into the chair.

"There'd better be some sleeping going on," Becky said just as obliviously as she dabbed at some spilt nail polish, obviously not seeing James' dumbfounded face. "Her bed's next to mine!" She added, before looking up from her nails and catching a glimpse of James' expression.

God, she's so blonde sometimes.

He did not look to be on the verge of tears, nor did he appear to want to break everything within twenty feet, but he did look smaller, crushed almost as he looked at me. Becky mumbled an excuse about needing to go to the library and Dom followed quickly as they tripped over themselves to get out of the portrait hole, in case he started throwing things around. He sighed and looked into the fire, his glassy eyes reflecting the dancing flames.

"I suppose I'm not surprised." He said dully. His voice sounded hollow and strained and he looked like he really didn't know what to make of this new information.

I knew he truly loved her, more deeply than his eighteen year old mind could comprehend. He'd had many girlfriends who had all slept with other lads before, after and even during his relationship with them, but he had liked Sarah since he first met her, and had waited a very long time to build up the courage to ask her out. In fact he took Felix Felicis on the evening he took her out for their first date. Also, she had been the first (and _only)_ girl he had ever slept with; they had given themselves to each other completely and a bond like that was very hard to break. I knew how hurt he must be feeling; the thought of having sex with any other girl, even Amy, felt very wrong. At the end of the day his heart lay with Sarah, and the knowledge that she had been able to sleep with someone new must be destroying him.

There was a slight creak from upstairs. James whined uncontrollably, in an uncanny impression of his dog-form and leapt to his feet, pacing in front of the fire furiously, dropping the crumpled wrapper to the bin again.

"Is this their first time together?" James demanded sitting down, his face red with humiliation.

"Yes, I'm sure!" I said honestly.

"Why didn't _you_ tell me they were going to be fucking?!" James growled accusingly at me. He looked to the ceiling, the colour in his face deepening.

"Well what did you expect? They've liked each other for years there's a lot of sexual tension there!" I hissed back. I immediately realised my mistake but the words could not be bitten back.

"What? _Years_?!" James choked, his voice cracking as it climbed into decibels of disbelief and shock.

"But we only got together two years ago?" He added disbelievingly, sinking back into the chair and flinching violently as we heard a masculine growl from upstairs.

"Well I don't know. I'm just saying she's liked him for a while." I said, wishing I had bitten my tongue instead. Becky and Dom are such cowards, leaving me here to deal with this emotional mess of a young man.

"Did she like him when she was with me?" He asked, looking at me unblinkingly with huge and beautiful brown eyes and in a dangerously low voice.

I could hear the bedsprings upstairs protest with having to endure the kind of action that Hogwarts probably hadn't seen in years. If ever.

"Rose!" He said desperately when I hesitated. His eyebrows were pulled up and together in a kind of pleading frown. I can't lie to that face. He's my cousin _and_ one of my best friends to boot.

"Not at the beginning. She just wanted you. But in the last month I think her mind was…elsewhere" I said, placing my hand over his.

"So you're telling me that in the last month of our relationship, when I'd long before fallen irreversibly and madly in love with her, she was imagining that the lips kissing her were his, that the bloke she wanted to wake up to every morning, was not me - oh no - but DANNY_ FUCKING_ FOX?!" He said. The first part of his sentence was deadly calm, but the last words were shouts.

"And now she's sleeping with him? I've got no hope now have I! Look at him; he's like a fucking male model!" He choked.

"James, I-"

"No, Rosie! It was all a lie!" James shouted, transforming into a shaggy black dog and padding up the girls dormitory stairs. He shifted when he got to the top – this is how the lads always trick the magical stairway.

He rapped on our dormitory door violently. There was a manly grunt of exasperation from inside and James looked at me with sadness and anger in his eyes.

There was frenzied movement from inside as if they had broken apart in shock as I climbed the stairs after my cousin. James raised his leg to kick the door in (or to piss on it, I can't be sure) just as Sarah appeared in the doorway with a duvet wrapped around her.

And nothing else.

Her face was tinged a pretty pink colour and her hair was tousled and hanging around her bare shoulders.

"Sweet Jesus…" James half-moaned, half-whispered, trying not to look at her body, although it was covered by the blanket.

"What do you want guys?" Sarah asked shakily, her chest heaving. She was standing on weak and wobbly legs and was leaning on the doorframe. James took her appearance and stance in and was obviously at a loss at what to do now, his mouth hanging open in shock and lust. I don't think he had thought this far ahead. I don't think he'd thought much at all.

I could see Danny over her shoulder, his own chest heaving and looking _very_ annoyed to be disturbed. Or maybe it's just because he's being disturbed by James. Thankfully, James couldn't see Danny because Sarah is only two inches below his own height. And he's given up trying to avoid looking at her and is currently trying to develop X-ray vision to look through the duvet.

"James!" She said sharply, abandoning her usual nicknames for him.

His eyes flicked up to hers. Danny sighed exasperatedly and loudly in the background and came to the door, a towel wrapped around his waist like a loincloth. He put a muscley arm around Sarah and looked defensively at James and me. If James were in dog form he would have ripped that arm off and growled but he scowled menacingly instead, while I stared at Danny's muscular and hair lined chest. I can see why she likes him so much and James is right; he's bloody _gorgeous_.

"What happened to keeping anyone from disturbing us, Ro?" Sarah asked exasperatedly.

Danny stroked the skin of her shoulder and I held James' arm to keep him from stepping forward. I don't think he can say anything, though. He's so mesmerised by her body, her mind, everything about her in fact. I can tell he would dearly love to hate her for liking someone else, being with someone else, but he just loves her too much.

"Sorry, he wanted to speak to you." I said, trying to shrug nonchalantly but being too tense. Danny stepped slightly closer to Sarah protectively.

"Can't you see we're a bit busy, _mate_?" Danny said warningly.

I know this is a territorial thing; James is far too close to Danny's 'mate' (and I mean that as in the animal sense) for comfort. But to us, Sarah is James' and James is Sarah's… well that's how our weird animal pack sees it – she's James' strong alpha female and I'm her calculating beta. Sarah ran her fingers through her hair, looking upset. This motion tugged at my heart – this was hard on both of them. James stared at her sad, confused and annoyed expression.

"Yeah. I'll, err, leave you to it…" He said sadly.

I'm shocked, I was expecting there to be fisticuffs or at least some name calling. Danny looked relieved, returned to bed and started to untie the loincloth but Sarah shut the door to the dormitory, calling to Danny that she'd be back in a minute.

"James, love, I know whatever you want to talk to me about must be important if you disturb me when I'm getting...physical…so I'll talk to you later, I promise you." She said, touching a trembling hand to his cheek affectionately and staring into his eyes apologetically. She had obviously changed what she was going to say originally to 'physical'.

James touched her hand and her shoulder with the other hand and looked the closest to tears I'd seen him in a long time.

"It's not important anymore. I wanted to ask you something, but I think I know the answer now" James stammered before turning away and letting go of her, trying to stop the tears I know are stinging at the back of his eyes.

The 'physical' was far too suggestive for James (although he knows full well what they were doing), yet I know she would never have been so cruel as to put it like that had she known about his feelings for her. She was talking to him as a platonic friend, like she'd speak to me. Just as he put one foot on the step, Sarah grabbed him by the upper arm and spun him around, frowning. She looked up into his watering eyes and grabbed his face, her eyes darting between his own. She trailed a thumb under his left eye, from where a tear had escaped against his will and I suddenly feel very, _very_ out of place… Like I'm watching something indecent. Which I am... I pretty much just heard my cousin's fragile heart breaking all over again and now he's at a loss. I haven't seen him cry in a very long time, I hope to god this isn't going to be a huge blub-fest because I'm so close to tears all the time that someone else's so close to me could set me off.

"Oh, Jamie" She breathed so quietly I could barely hear her, her voice full of shock as she raised her hands up to hold him on the spot.

She touched his face lightly with her hand, one on his cheek the other on his waist to keep him from trying to run off again and his hands were upon her shoulders. Suddenly he leaned ever so slightly down and kissed her gently on the lips and we both stared at her as her face delicately screwed up into lines of confusion. James looked unashamed and happy and just as he leant in for a longer kiss, I pulled him away.

"I'll talk to you later chicken!" James called cheerfully, looking dazed and goofy.

"Sorry we bothered you, Sare." I added loudly and apologetically, literally jumping down the stairs to avoid the chute that would appear when lads try to come a-sneaking into our dorm (believe me, they try).

James was reluctantly following me and Sarah was stood in the doorway, looking dangerously close to tears herself and leaning against the door for support, biting her lip, her hands on her cheeks. Only when I heard the door close did I round on James.

"That was totally inappropriate! You've confused her to hell and back now!" I hissed. James looked unashamed still, a kind of goofy grin plastered across his face.

"My ball is in her court now." He said. "She knows how I feel." He added.

"Firstly, you wish. _His_ balls are currently in her court." I said, pointing to the ceiling to indicate Danny and putting my hand on my hip to show I meant business. "And secondly, you just kissed her - that means nothing! She has no bloody clue how you still feel!" I hated seeing James as hurt as he obviously still was but I couldn't let him trample all over Sarah's life if she wanted to move on.

"Firstly, it's only temporary." James replied, mimicking me in a high-pitched voice. "Secondly, she must like me because she kissed me! She likes me, she likes me, _she likes me_!" He said, doing a kind of happy dance, no sign of tears now.

"_You _kissed _her_, you dopey thing!" I scolded half-heartedly, slapping him around the head.

"Ow. Well if you're so smart what should I do?" James asked, still looking ecstatic.

"Well start with a cold shower for god's sake. You just kissed the love of your life... and she was wearing nothing but a duvet." I said.

James looked thoughtful.

"Right you are, boss. Nighty night, don't let the beddie bugs sleep with Sarah as well!" He said, going cross eyed to make me smile and then practically bouncing up to his dorm.

Honestly...what is he like?

* * *

><p><em>Bahahaha loved the reviews you guys – had a lot of people saying they laughed at the last author's note but unfortunately I have nothing either witty or hilarious to say here except please continue to review! Makes my day EVERY TIME! :)<em>

_-Sarita x_


	16. Chapter 15: What Hurts The Most

**Chapter 15: What Hurts the Most**

The next day I found myself showering the smell of vomit and the sweat of strange Scorpius-centric dreams off me, brushing my teeth and arriving down in the hall for breakfast at half past 8. Sarah and Dom were the only ones awake from our gang and Dom was sat over with Albus while Sarah strangely had chosen to sit alone, chewing her toast thoughtfully.

"Hello you?" I said uncertainly.

"Hey Ro. You all right?" She asked dully, staring glumly at a plate.

"Yeah thanks, what's up?" I asked, sitting down next to her, though my eyes were searching the hall for either Freddie or Scorpius.

"Good, good. Where's James?" Sarah asked, ignoring my question.

"I don't know. Probably playing with himself somewhere." I said casually, ladling myself some porridge but secretly waiting for her to tell me what was wrong.

"Well" Said a voice behind us "I would be, but there are people looking" Said James as he swung his long legs over the table and sat down opposite us, grinning all over his face.

I laughed and he grinned expectantly at Sarah who was still staring dully at her plate instead of laughing adoringly at his jokes as usual, however bad. His smile faltered.

"What's up sexyboots?" He said to her.

Sexyboots!? What in the name of all that is mental...?

He took her hand over the table. His smile died completely when she pulled her hand from underneath his and rubbed her tired eyes. He looked at me meaningfully and I scowled but he raised his eyebrows pleadingly. I scowled harder but after a second I nodded with a sigh. We are forever having wordless conversations like this. And I always lose the battle.

"Is it about last night? We're really sorry" I asked Sarah gently, glancing at James with a glare. He nodded enthusiastically, but falsely, with a grin on his face.

Her head snapped up and she looked defensive for a second before her face relaxed and she nodded, dropping her toast and rubbing the crumbs off her fingers.

"A bit." She admitted, looking between the two of us seriously.

"Is he crap in bed?" James asked hopefully. He is a new level of insecure – getting her to compare him against Danny.

"No. No of course not," Sarah replied loyally, her eyes twinkling as she smiled slightly.

James shifted in his seat and looked like he was about to leave, when Sarah looked at me again.

"Not experienced, though if you know what I mean" She added. James looked at her, frowning.

"He's a virgin?!" James asked incredulously, looking scornful and ecstatic at the same time.

"Well as of last night, James, no." Sarah replied dryly. James looked grumpy once more. "Hence why I said he's not experienced." Sarah added.

"Neither are you! Experienced that is." He said scornfully. Sarah looked at him as if he was mad. Which he is. Very.

"What makes you say that?" She asked fiercely, stiffening in her seat. James read the warning signs but feigned shocked as he replied.

"Well _I_ was _your_ first wasn't I? So that makes _him_ your second, right?" He said. What he was really saying was 'have you slept with anyone else?' Sarah said nothing.

"Is that right? Have you slept with anyone else?" James asked bluntly with a frown, leaning forward and making sure she held his beseeching eye contact.

"No that's right… Just you and Danny," she said, frowning slightly and like me, wondering where the hell he was going with this.

"So since _you_ were Danny's first and _I'm_ obviously no Don Juan between the sheets, you can't have had enough good sexual experiences to judge." James said as if it was obvious and leaning back in his seat.

Sarah looked down, now shy. Her cheeks were reddening steadily.

"You were fine in bed." She said very quietly.

Now it was like they'd both forgotten _I _was here. They do this conversation thing that makes it weird for everyone else. And it's _always_ James who initiates it. The weirder thing is that they were never like this when they were going out, maybe because all their feelings were out in the open.

Somebody give me battling a dragon or another awkward conversation with Scorpius over _this_ awkward conversation.

I was starting to get really uncomfortable bearing witness to their closest and most intimate moments – Scorpius and I had enough of our own, and whenever anyone got hurt it made my hormones play up and induce fits of tears in sympathy.

"Didn't quite catch that?" James said convincingly, although I knew he had by the slight twitching of the corners of his mouth.

"I said you were great in bed." She said, slightly louder through gritted teeth, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment.

"Nah I wasn't, I'm so clumsy and I'm sure it was always over too quick for you." He said, waving her comment away but fully smiling now at her praise. However, there was a slight question in his tone, as if wanting confirmation.

"Yeah I suppose that's true." Sarah agreed casually, though she scowled. She watched his face fall and then slammed her hand down hard on the table.

"What is it you want me to say? What is your agenda, James? Do you want me to lie? Because I won't! You blew my mind _every single time_!" She hissed before grabbing her things and stalking from the hall, leaving James beaming. I turned to him slowly, in disbelief.

"You...absolute... _Knob_!"

* * *

><p>After I'd given James a good earful, Becky and Rich had joined us at the table, Becky looking miserable as what was now normal and Rich looked as loved up as he had when they had started going out at age 14. Danny drifted in later and sat opposite James, a dreamy, glazed look in his eyes.<p>

"Hey everyone." He said distantly with a small smile.

"Are you on drugs?" James snapped at him. "Because if you are then you're off the quidditch team." He added bluntly.

"Not drugs. Better" Danny whispered with a faraway smile. James looked him up and down.

"You're off the quidditch team." James said abruptly after a moment of staring at him. Even I forgot my troubles and laughed at my cousin's face.

Danny immediately snapped out of his trance.

"No, no. I'm honestly not on anything!" He said.

"Then what the hell is wrong with you?" Becky asked quizzically. Danny leaned forward and we all instinctively leaned into him.

"Last night I had the best sex of my life." Danny replied, looking even more fresh-faced up close.

"I think you mean the _only_ sex of your life." James said under his breath so only I could hear.

"With Sarah?" Rich asked, eyes wide. Danny nodded and I watched James' face flush angrily.

"Nice one mate, put it there!" Rich said, extending his hand for Danny to shake which he did with a grin. Becky looked irritated, but it was nothing compared to James' expression. I laid a casual hand on his arm.

It was shaking with rage. Oh shit...

"How can it be the best of your life? Aren't you a virgin?" James asked snidely, having decided to actually voice his feelings. Danny looked at him.

"I was, but then last night..." He let out a long low whistle. "It was well worth the wait."

He said, leaning back on his bench and looking pleased with himself.

James leaned back too, literally shaking with anger, dark eyes shining in the light. I watched him closely, I could feel a fight coming and I really didn't like it.

"You all right James?" Becky asked cautiously. I had seen her late last night – she had been very apologetic about her and Dom leaving me with him and asked what had happened... I seemed to have missed out the kissing part when I retold the tale.

"Yeah. I think I've eaten something funny. I'm going to the Hospital Wing, I won't be in Potions." James said and before we knew it, he had stalked from the hall, face red and fists clenched.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

I walked along the corridor blindly, I had no idea where I was heading but I ended up in the empty Astronomy Tower. I leaned against the railing and scowled down, breathing hard through my nose.

Not only do I have to find out that the only girl I have ever loved is sleeping with another man, a fucking Greek-god like man at that, but I also have to hear her telling us about it and said man bragging about it over breakfast. Words cannot describe how I feel – it's the weirdest mixture between wanting to punch Danny repeatedly in the bollocks, wanting to passionately kiss Sarah until she realises she loves me again, and wanting to cry like a child for a few hours.

The minute I heard her making the noises I heard last night I just...died. I felt sick to my stomach that it wasn't me bringing that out in her, so angry that it was someone else, and so upset that I could have literally blubbed like a little girl.

The worst part is that she doesn't know how I feel. I wonder how she could be so impossibly blind...the way I feel about her is written all over me – when she walks into a room my whole face lights up like a Christmas tree.

But even if she did know, would it change anything for the better? Would she leave Danny and run into my open arms? I don't think so. I'd be worse off than now because she'd know she was inadvertently the cause of every little bit of hurt I feel...it would ruin her life.

And knowing I could hurt her through my reluctance to let go is what _really_ hurts the most.

"I thought I'd find you here." Sarah said from behind me. I jumped and spun around, wiping the one stray tear of frustration out of my eye. If she noticed she said nothing.

She walked over to me and leaned on the railings and looked out over the grounds with a sigh and I watched her through mesmerised eyes.

"Why would you need to find me at all?" I asked, trying not to sound stung.

"You're acting weird." She said.

"Everyone is." I sighed, thinking of my mental, pregnant cousin, her halfwit boyfriend, the man who had got her into the mess she was in and the now constantly brooding Becky. Dom was the only one who had stayed the same… gobby as ever.

Sarah said nothing, seemingly thinking it over. Her raised eyebrows showed she was reaching the same conclusion as me.

"How was he then, really? Before I interrupted, obviously. Sorry about that by the way." I said to break the long silence. Obviously I was lying – any time I cut short from their sex was fine by me.

Sarah turned around and slid down the wall and I did the same, our knees up to our chests.

"He was... sweet." She said simply, with a small smile. "I shouldn't be talking about it with you...don't you find it weird?" She said, looking at me sideways.

"No. I like to feel a part of things. It's good to feel useful" I said. It wasn't entirely truthful, and I didn't want to know the ins and outs (literally) of their relationship, but I liked her to talk to me.

"Well, you know Danny. He's lovely." She said, shrugging.

I beg to differ on that one.

"You're skirting the issue." I said simply.

"Maybe I am. But sex is sex, a kiss is just a kiss, and-" She caught sight of my expression. I must have looked a sight, but I pushed away the feelings of wanting to jump off the roof of this tower and cleared my face of expression. "That sums it up. It's just different, that's all. I'm used to... a different man." She continued with a small sigh, avoiding my gaze.

"Do you miss me?" I asked in a deeper voice, putting my arm around her gently and moving closer to her. She turned to me.

"What do you mean, Jay?" She asked softly. I got very close, my lips centimetres from her neck and she stiffened but didn't move.

"I mean, do you miss me? Do you miss my lips on your neck?" I breathed against her skin. My hand found the remarkable curve of her waist. "Do you miss my hands on your body?" I whispered.

She laughed and pushed me gently but firmly back. Brilliant, here I am trying to be all sexy and masculine and there she is laughing at me.

"Oh James, you do know how to cheer me up." She said with a relaxed, dazzling smile.

She thought I was trying it on with her just to cheer her up? Well it's not like I'm complaining.

I grinned back but secretly I was thinking how I should have just kissed her when I had the chance. She got to her feet and I scrambled up too.

"I bet you make Amy really happy." She said with a genuine smile. She winked and I was still grinning like an idiot, cheeks flushing again out of embarrassment – why do I do this to myself?

"I'll see you later." She said and she leaned up and kissed my cheek ever so softly, her hand on my chest. She lingered for perhaps a second longer than necessary, or perhaps time just slowed down when she touched me, and then she stepped back.

"Wait, where are you going?" I asked. She turned around at the doorframe.

"Potions. I'll make your excuses for you and say you're ill. I'll see you at the cabin at break, right?" She asked, turning around to hear my answer.

"Yeah, course you will." I said and I swallowed, preparing to say something stupid no doubt. But thankfully she was gone in the blink of an eye and I slumped down again onto the floor.

God, I'm such a bloody fool.

* * *

><p><em>To hear how James feels by this point listen to <span>Feelings<span> by Morris Albert. That is serious ice-cream and crying music right there. _

_Please review my little readerlings, I won't give you a cookie, but I can promise more chapters (I just finished **number 34**; I hope you're in the mood for a long fic!)_

_-Sarita x_


	17. Chapter 16: Dear Matron

**Chapter 16: Dear Matron**

Four nights later, on Thursday, James and I were sat in the common room. He was doing his homework hurriedly and I was correcting his punctuation over his shoulder in between reading a book on palmistry. I had forced him to go to all his other lessons on Monday, even after he skived Potions.

"What was Monday morning all about then?" I asked tentatively when he finished his work and stuffed his homework in his pocket. It had been the first time I'd had the courage to ask him about it. He turned to me and curled his snitch-patterned-sock feet underneath him.

"Oh you know what I'm like, Ro." He sighed in explanation. "I hate that she's wasting herself on him." He said, giving me a sidelong look.

"Why? I know you love her but some couples are really open and they have sex with other people all the time." I said, playing devils advocate. I couldn't imagine anyone could make that kind of thing work… but each to their own I suppose.

"We were never going to have a relationship like that. I'm so bloody jealous, I can't even stand it when she _hugs_ another guy let alone want to imagine her making love to one. I mean did you see her the other day? Everything about her was just... argh I'm torn apart." He shook his head and rubbed his tired eyes.

_Making love?_ Why are all the boys I hang around with more in touch with their feelings than I am?!

"Honestly. When's the last time you got some, Jay?" I asked, rolling my eyes. James saw this as an actual question rather than my pointing out just how horny he was.

"Erm… about eleven months ago now," he sighed, resting his chin on his fist and staring at the wall ahead. I gaped at him.

"Well no wonder you're trailing after Sarah like a cat on heat!" I said in awe of my cousin's willpower. James looked shocked.

"I'm not that pathetic am I? Is it that obvious?" He asked hopelessly.

"Well put it this way; the other day she smiled at you and you nearly wet yourself with excitement." I said dryly. James fisted his eyes with his knuckles and groaned.

"Ah I knew I wasn't a good actor. I keep trying to stop feeling this way about her but I just don't want to and it's _really_ hard-"

"Yeah we know just how _hard_ it is, Jay. The other day when you were wearing tight jeans and Sarah brushed a leaf off your jacket it really didn't leave anything to the imagination for us." Becky interrupted calmly. Dom laughed. The two of them seemed to have come up to us very quietly. James rolled his eyes.

"Speak of the devil, where is she?" He asked, to change the subject, since all three of us were laughing at his flushed face, although he himself was grinning crookedly.

"I don't know, but I'm sure she'll turn up. She was only saying goodnight to Danny." Becky shrugged, sitting down next to me and poking me in the ribs to budge up.

"So a quickie then." Dom replied, sitting on the floor between mine and Becky's sofa and James' chair. James, who had been trying to slide down his seat so we couldn't see his face, looked up, no smile on his face.

"Well I don't know…" Becky said, oblivious to James' scowl as she checked her wristwatch in the half light. "Last time I saw them they were on the grounds." She shrugged.

"Heading towards the Whomping Willow by any chance?" James asked with a definite irritated note to his voice.

"Might've been. It's getting dark. Why?" Becky asked.

"I don't _believe_ her! The Whomping Willow underground tunnel was always _our_ place!" James howled.

"Oh no she likes it up against the greenhouses with Danny" Dom giggled, looking at me with a cheeky grin. I watched James look relieved and then horrified and finally snide.

"Well _that's_ classy of him isn't it. What a lovely place for him to take her." He sneered.

This boy seriously has to control his jealousy issues.

"Oh yeah, because a damp dark tunnel is every girl's dream." Becky said sarcastically. James turned red.

"Well actually she liked my bed as well-" He began defiantly, sitting up straighter.

"Hello ladies!" A bright voice said cheerily from behind me. James looked around in irritation with a kind of 'do you have to _completely_ emasculate me?' look on his face.

We all spun around in our seats and Sarah beamed at us all. James practically drooled all over the back of his seat as he looked her up and down. Her hair was slightly windswept and her nose and cheeks were pink from the cold. She took off her gloves and sat by the fire, shivering. She took off her thick coat to reveal a long sleeved plain scoop neck shirt and blue jeans. James was only looking at the back of her head though, waiting for her to face him.

"Where've you been?" James asked in a would-be casual voice, inspecting his bitten nails.

"Out in the grounds with Danny." Sarah said as she took off her leather boots to reveal fluffy pink socks.

"Doing what? It's so dark out there…" James pressed, leaning towards her. Still she didn't face him, but rubbed her hands together and stuck them near the grate.

"Herbology revision." Sarah said, finally turning to face James and warming her back. Her face was completely unabashed and James folded his arms and scowled as Dom and I giggled and Becky grinned.

"Is that what you kids are calling it nowadays?" I asked. Sarah laughed and pushed her hair over her shoulders. James watched the colours of the fire dancing in her mane, with a different kind of fire in the back of his eyes.

Everywhere I looked it seemed it wasn't just me who was lying, either to themselves or to everyone else.

* * *

><p>The next morning I found myself down in the common room with James again. It was lunchtime and Sarah was with Danny, Becky with Rich while Amy, Albus, Freddie and Scorpius were at quidditch.<p>

I was currently looking thoughtful as I nibbled tentatively at an apple, hoping it wouldn't end up coming back up the way it came the next morning. James had a huge bit of parchment laid out in front of him and was devising a strategy for quidditch.

"James?" I said eventually, not being able to contain myself any longer.

"What Rosie?" James asked uncertainly.

"I was just wondering…yesterday you said it'd been about eleven months right?"

"That's right..." he replied nervously, tucking his quill behind his ear.

"Well I was thinking…you didn't break up until about ten months ago seeing as you broke up in January and it's now November…did she stop sleeping with you in the last month?" I asked. James looked pained.

"No. It was worse than that. She stopped…connecting with me I suppose is the best way to say it." He replied sadly. "I don't count it as sex. For that short time it was devastating."

"What do you mean?" I asked, hating myself for pressing the matter. James looked at me and fidgeted in his seat.

"Well, for a few weeks before she finished with me when we were in bed she used to close her eyes or look away rather than look at me. The last time we were in bed together I caught her crying. Not full on, just a little tear."

"Before or after?" I asked, in shock. _Poor_ James.

"During. She thought I couldn't see her. _Obviously_ I stopped what I was doing – I thought I'd hurt her or something. But she just pretended nothing was wrong…" He trailed off, looking anguished at the memory as he scratched his head.

"Oh, James that's awful. What happened then?" I found myself whispering.

"I told her I knew there was something wrong… her eyes looked dead, there was nothing there. She seemed…empty. I told her she shuddered every time I touched her, flinched when she kissed me and…well she cried a lot and I sort of hugged her." He looked confused.

"And then I asked her why she didn't tell me she was so unhappy, she said it was because she didn't think she…loved me anymore. And well… you know what happened next." James said gruffly, putting quill to parchment again, tongue poking out of his mouth in concentration.

And I did know what happened next; much as I hated going back to that time… it was painful for me on both of their behalves…

_**FLASHBACK**_

I walked into our eerily silent dormitory to see Sarah sat on the wide window sill, knees brought up to her chest and looking out the window as rain lashed against the pane.

"Hullo you." I sighed. "I heard about you and James" I said simply.

It was an understatement; the whole common room had heard him yelling and her sobbing and then him pleading desperately, with a thump that sounded like he'd fallen to his knees and her crying harder. Then we'd seen her hurrying out of James' dorm and into ours. Sarah turned to me now, her tear-streaked cheeks showing up pale in the light.

"Oh darling." I said sadly, crossing the room and putting an arm around her. She stared back out the window, fresh tears splashing down the front of her robes.

"I had to do it." She squeaked, not looking at me or making an effort to wipe the tears from her cheeks. I conjured a tissue and passed it to her. She wiped her eyes once and then scrunched it in her fist and held it there, staring across the grounds through the rain.

"I know you did. I know. Shh" I said comfortingly as she sobbed openly into my shoulder, finally realising that I wasn't there to judge her. In the boys dorm the scene was quite different when I walked in alone half an hour later.

James was laying full length on his bed, hands behind head and legs stretched straight in front of him, destruction around the room where his anger had gotten the better of him. I closed the door silently behind myself and stepped into the nearly empty room. Anyone who had been in here when James had been at his angriest had obviously had the sense to get out fast.

"Alright Ro." He said dully.

"Hi Jay." I said cautiously as he sat up in his bed and hugging his knees just as Sarah had done, except he was looking at something on the duvet of his bed.

A few of Sarah's things were laying on one of his bedside tables, including a beautiful but unmoving modelling photograph from her portfolio (Sarah was a model in the school holidays, for both muggle and magical agencies) but he was staring at a framed picture of the two of them. As I advanced slowly on my cousin, I saw fat teardrops fall heavily onto the picture. My calm exterior broke and panic set in as I watched one of the strongest men in my life fall apart in front of me; I hadn't seen him cry since he was quite young. I sat next to him and rested my head on his shoulder as he gasped for air, thumbing the picture. Sarah was standing slightly behind James, with her arms around his neck as they both laughed. Every so often she would lean in to kiss his cheek and he would turn his head so they met his own lips instead. I felt a horrible, tight knot of sorrow for my cousin and I hugged him tightly as he gripped the photo frame and his whole body wracked with the silent sobs of a young man who had just lost what he loved the very most in the world.

I'd never seen him in such a state; James hadn't cried since he was _at least_ in First year, if then, and he'd broken up with a lot of girls.

"I dunno what I'm going to do, Rosie." He said in a croaky voice after half an hour, once he'd cried until he was nearly sick and was completely exhausted. I tucked him into his bed, fully clothed and got my wand out to repair any of the damage. James watched me through his bloodshot eyes, probably waiting for me to offer a solution. I sat on the edge of his bed after a while, looking down at him.

"I think she just needs time," I said, literally tucking him in a little cocoon made of blankets and starting to push his untidy raven hair out of his eyes. He grabbed my hand and held it, closing his eyes.

"Rose, you're one of the best friends I've ever had." He said before he drifted off to sleep.

He didn't have to add that he loved me. We're family; I already knew.

_**END FLASHBACK**_

* * *

><p>I was sick later that night – apparently apples are off the menu. As I came out I found Sarah, Dom and Scorpius sat on my bed, looking up at me as if expecting me.<p>

"I didn't do it." I said immediately.

"Well you obviously did because you're pregnant." Scorpius replied, rolling his eyes. I doubt he would have that attitude to it when he found out he helped create it.

I knew he was still pissed off about the kiss, but as far as I'm concerned nothing happened. I may have been avoiding him recently though… even spending time with my broken-hearted cousin was better than any time spent with Scorpius and our confused feelings at the moment.

"We're here because tomorrow you're going to Madame Pettifoot at the Hospital Wing and you're going to tell her you're pregnant. She's bound by law not to tell anybody." Scorpius added simply, but he didn't quite meet my eyes.

"What?!" I asked, panic setting in.

"It's all right Ro, we're going to come with you." Sarah said reassuringly.

"Well, Sarah, James and Scorpius are. Me and Becky are going to make sure Freddie, Amy, Chelsea and Danny stay well away. Albus is going to search the Hospital Wing for extendable ears while they're with you." Dom said reassuringly. I nodded very slowly.

"I suppose they've got to know sometime." I agreed, sitting down on Dom's bed; the nearest to mine.

"Exactly. And we're going to make sure she doesn't breathe a word to anyone. She'd lose her job if she did, but she'll already know that." Sarah said.

"Right. Okay- it's on." I sighed, nodding. Dom took my hand and squeezed it.

The next morning Scorpius, Sarah, James, Dom, Albus and Becky surrounded me as the incredible crew we are as we made our way up to the Hospital Wing.

"Doesn't it feel like we're on a top secret mission?" Becky said conversationally to Albus as we crept along the practically empty corridors.

"It would feel less like one if James would stop humming the Mission Impossible theme." Sarah replied dryly. I laughed nervously as James hid behind a corner and jumped out at nobody in particular, wand at the ready.

"You're mad in the head." Dom said with an amused smile as we rounded the final corner (James leaping out with a war cry of 'hands off my sandwich!') and we arrived outside the pristinely clean white double doors.

I stopped and took a deep breath and Scorpius suddenly took my hand out of the blue and squeezed it without looking at me.

"Right, Dom, Becky-"

"Split up and search for clues." James interrupted, squinting at them through narrowed eyes.

When he was ill with the flu last year I had stayed up with him all night watching Scooby Doo (Granddad buys any old muggle videos he can lay hands on) and apparently watching so much muggle television has addled James' already crazy brains.

"As I was saying-" Albus continued, rolling his eyes "-Dom, Becky; walk down to the hall and make sure you don't let the suspe- I mean significant others- out of your sight." He added.

Sarah grinned at him, knowing he'd been reading too many detective stories as Becky and Dom departed after nodding in a brisk, businesslike way.

"I'll go in before you four otherwise I'll get kicked out. I'm going to search the place via magic for any spying devices. After I'm sure the coast is clear, I'll nod to you and you can come in." Albus said seriously. James wiped an imaginary tear from his eye and sniffed.

"It's been an honour serving under you sir" He said, shaking his brother's hand enthusiastically and saluting. Albus rolled his eyes and disappeared into the ward. My stomach was starting to churn.

"I feel sick." I said conversationally.

"Me too." Scorpius added absentmindedly. "Maybe it's from the same thing."

Sarah, James and I gave him a combined withering look.

"I don't think so, somehow, unless you're hiding a baby somewhere on your personage." I said deprecatingly, rubbing my stomach.

"Don't put it past him. Them Slytherins are a funny sort" James said, eyeing Scorpius faux-suspiciously. Suddenly Albus appeared in the doorway.

"Coast is clear, you can go in now. I'll make my way down to the hall and we'll all meet in the cabin whenever you're free. Just send an owl." He said, touching my shoulder lightly with a smile as he passed us and carried on back the way we came.

I took a deep breath. This was it – the first person outside my close circle who would learn of my pregnancy. James squeezed my shoulder supportively.

"You ready kiddo?" He asked, serious once more. I looked up into his chocolate eyes and took another steadying breath.

"Yes. Let's do this." I said with determination in my voice but panic in my head. Like I need anything else crazy up there.

Sarah took my arm in hers and Scorpius shot me a small smile as we crossed the threshold into the Hospital Wing.

* * *

><p>"Miss Weasley, Miss Addams. Oh and Mr Malfoy and Mr Potter… have you got a combined illness or has Mr Potter decided to transfigure his own eyebrows onto a potato again?" Madame Pettifoot asked in a dull tone, surveying James who grinned.<p>

We'd all been in here more times than you could shake a stick at, mainly for pissing about with spells. The Matron was sat at her desk, eyeball-deep in medical papers. She surveyed us over her glasses. I tried to speak but my throat had closed up and my mouth was dry. Sarah patted my back gently and gave me a reassuring look.

"Or perhaps you've come to fetch me because you've charmed another Quaffle to sing the national anthem and beat spectators over the head with a mallet and done some more damage." She added to James, lips pursed.

"Nah. Been busy poking alligators in the eye and setting fire to sloths, you know how it is." James replied casually.

"Come in, all of you." Madame Pettifoot sighed, conjuring 4 chairs in front of her and motioning for Scorpius to shut the door behind him.

"What can I help you with then?" She asked as we sat down. She took her glasses off and cleaned them on her dress while she waited. Everyone looked at me. I opened my mouth, closed it, fidgeted with my hands, made a terrified squeak and burst into tears.

"_Muffliato_." James said, shooting the spell behind him without looking.

"Rose is pregnant" Sarah said bluntly. To my right, a tissue popped into existence and was handed to me by Scorpius, whose hand had found mine under the table. I looked up at the Matron through my teary eyes to see her expression had hardly changed, apart from slightly raised eyebrows.

"Okay." She said after a second, swivelling in her chair to produce a handful of leaflets. She thumbed through them and shook her head, stuffing them back into a drawer.

"How far along are you then Miss Weasley?"

I hiccoughed in reply.

"She's a little overdue for her 6 week scan." Sarah replied on my behalf.

"Right. Well I have to go to St Mungos tonight for a seminar; I will personally book you an appointment with the head midwife. You will get the best care imaginable Miss Weasley, no matter what happens." Madame Pettifoot said, smiling reassuringly at me. I managed a tiny smile back.

"Would you prefer for me to contact you myself, or through Miss Addams?" She added, looking at Sarah.

"Through me please." I sniffed. Sarah would know everything from me anyway, I may as well retain as much of my independence as possible.

"Will anyone be able to come with me for the scan?" I asked, my hormonal tears drying. Scorpius squeezed my sweaty hand.

"Of course. Only two people can come into the room with you for the scan itself, but you can bring as many people as you like to support you." The matron said. "Within reason" She added quickly, remembering my huge family.

"I just want these three." I said, gesturing to my friends. "And I don't want anyone else to know about this" I said firmly, finding my voice at last.

"No need to worry Miss Weasley. All medical information is kept highly confidential." Madame Pettifoot assured me with a small nod and a smile.

"Is that it?" I asked after a second.

"Until I book an appointment, Miss Weasley, yes." The matron replied.

"Okay thank you." I said. We all got to our feet, Scorpius' hand still in mine, and made for the door.

"And call me Rose, by the way. Miss Weasley is my cousin." I said with what hopefully passed as a smile, shutting the door gently behind me.

* * *

><p><strong>A<strong>_**/N: **_I seem to be dividing opinion (read the reviews) on the **Sarah/James** pairing and sister storyline. There were a few 'shoulds' flying around. Let me just clear this up... in my fics there are no 'shoulds' – if you don't like a particular pairing in any other story you either learn to **suck it up** and focus on the bits you** DO** like or you don't read anymore – it's the same here. I would like to point out that teenage pregnancy and the emotions evoked by it are **very intense** things. If all I did was focus solely on Rose and Scorpius it would be a very depressing story indeed and I wanted to deal with this situation with a light heart and a touch of humour when I could instead of it being fully angst-y and downright depressing. In the real world, **life goes on** around you despite what is going on in your life. A story without any other characters and their lives would soon get boring.

However, I also got some incredibly positive reviews and to you, thank you! :) I enjoy constructive criticism… but the point of it is it's **constructive **not just 'I don't like this, you should do this instead.'

Besos!

_**-Sarita x**_


	18. Chapter 17: Bombshell

**Chapter 17: Bombshell**

I didn't hear from the matron again until the next morning. Breakfast had flown past in a haze of toast crumbs and hushed chatter about the subject we were surely talking into the ground –me. Even from where I currently sat in the common room, enjoying having no lessons until the afternoon, the gang were still bouncing ideas off each other in quiet voices, though the common room was empty - only our year had Friday morning off timetable.

"We could tell them for you Rose." James offered, roping me into the conversation. I looked down to where he sat warming himself by the fire with Albus, Becky and Scorpius. Sarah looked at me out of the corner of her eyes from her seat on the sofa next to me and Dom watched from the nearest armchair.

"James, I appreciate the offer, but it would be best if I told my parents myself." I sighed, imagining that James would probably break the news through interpretive dance. All of them had offered at least twice, and the conversation and topic itself were wearing thin on my last nerve.

Almost as thin as one of Chelsea Oxford's tiny shirts. Even in the depths of despair I can make myself laugh at her. God I hate her. I wish I could just take my pencil and drive it right through her thick skull and kill the one brain cell I can hear rattling around up there when she walks…

"Rose!?" Dom said, snapping me out of my psychopathic daydream.

"What?"

"You're holding your pencil like a sword and grinding your teeth like an old sheep." Dom said conversationally. I quickly set my would-be weapon down.

"And there's an owl at the window" Albus said, looking up from his book, 'Potions for Professionals.' It seemed he too had grown tired of the 'OH MY GOD, ROSE'S LIFE IS SO DRAMATIC' conversation.

Sarah got up from her chair, still in her dressing gown, and ambled over to the window to let the eagle-owl hop in. He stuck his leg out and Sarah untied a small envelope from it. As soon as she had done so, he hopped out of the window and flew away. Sarah shut out the bitterly cold air and came over to me, handing me the letter before snuggling back down in her space on the sofa in her fluffy dressing gown. Everyone watched me as I ripped the envelope carefully apart and teased the letter out. It read;

_Miss Weasley,_

_You have an appointment booked with the chief midwife at St. Mungos for your overdue scan on __Monday 14__th__ of November__. You shall travel via floo from my office in the Hospital Wing, with up to five escorts from there at 10.55am in order to meet your appointment at 11am. If any of this is inconvenient, do not hesitate to come and see me or write a letter of reply._

_Kind Regards, _

_Madame A. Pettifoot._

I passed Sarah the letter to read aloud to the others while I drank in its message. I would see my baby… my tiny, (probably) human baby, in three days on a scan picture. I am not ready for this. Not nearly ready…

* * *

><p>It was soon decided that Scorpius, Sarah and James would accompany me to the scan – too many people coming would raise serious questions. However, Amy and Chelsea had reacted by throwing a little shit-fit over having their boyfriends unstuck from them for more than two seconds.<p>

"I'm going with Rose, James and Sarah to a hospital appointment on Monday." Scorpius told Chelsea over dinner on Saturday.

We had allowed her onto the Gryffindor dining table for once and Dom was eyeing her menacingly while Becky was beadily keeping an eye on her from her seat between Rich and Albus.

"No." Chelsea said flatly, ladling herself some boiled potatoes with a small smile.

"It wasn't a question, it was a statement." Sarah said, from my side, frowning at her.

"This conversation doesn't concern _you_, honey." Amy said in sickly sweet tones, batting her eyelashes at Sarah, who set down her fork. Amy is just as smart as she looks. That is to say that she is as thick as cold shit.

"I think it does, _honey_." Sarah bit back sarcastically, "Scorpius is my mate and he can do whatever he wants to."

"I don't think so. He promised to spend the night with me, didn't you? You said you were going to take a walk in the grounds with me after lessons." Chelsea said to Scorpius, who looked thoroughly confused at being told what to do.

"I said once I'd done my Herbology paper I'd meet you outside the greenhouses on the way to dinner, if that constitutes as spending the night with you…" Scorpius said uncertainly.

"Well the appointment is in the morning. So it won't affect that." Dom said, finishing her ravioli and staring Chelsea down.

"Can't _she_ go with Rose and you two stay here? Why does Rose need chaperones anyway?" Amy whined at James, pointing at Sarah.

"'She' has a name." Sarah said, scowling at James, who looked apologetic.

"Plus, I'm sat right here." I said, pushing my barely-touched dinner away and looking at Amy. Her hair was scraped up into a high ponytail and her face was caked in makeup. Perhaps some men find her attractive, but I couldn't help imagining that she slept in a kennel.

"Come on Scorpius, find your balls." Dom said dryly, tucking into the treacle tart that had appeared on the table. This seemed to annoy Scorpius, but thankfully he took it out on Chelsea.

"Look Chels, I'm going, you can't tell me what to do. Rose wants me there."

Chelsea scowled.

"Why _do_ you need so many escorts Rose?" She asked, eyes narrowing.

"Keep your nose out of my business or I'll turn it purple like I did in forth year." I said casually, enjoying the ice-cream I was engulfing in chocolate sauce.

"Oooh. Touchy subject is it?" Chelsea asked, eyebrows raised and looking at Amy like she'd struck gold. I quickly realised my mistake.

"I got bitten by an aqua-viper in the lake a few days ago and it's starting to really hurt. These three are coming because James was there when it happened, Scorpius took me to the hospital wing and Sarah saw the wound the next day. Happy now?" I snapped, just before filling my gob with an overwhelming amount of chocolate ice-cream with chocolate chips and just a hint of chocolate sauce. Just a hint.

"Very. Thank you." Chelsea smiled, though I could still see the ice in her eyes. I finished the final shovelful of my ice cream in one mouthful and stood up.

"I'm going up to do some research in the library." I said thickly, before excusing myself and leaving the table. I was just past the threshold of the empty doorway towards the library when I heard my name being called.

"Oh Rosieee?" A girly voice trilled. There were some footsteps and then Chelsea appeared behind me.

"You dropped your quill on the way out." She said, carefully handing it back to me and flashing her expensively-manicured hands.

"Right. Cheers." I said, turning my back on her. However, she grabbed my arm at the elbow and stood behind me to whisper in my ear. I couldn't move out of shock and the pain from her surprisingly tight grip on my arm.

"I will get you out of Scorpius' life for good, you bitch. His money is mine now. And if I manage to get any dirt on you, Weasley, rest assured that I will use it to _break you_." Chelsea hissed in my ear in a quiet, deadly voice.

Within seconds she had released me and swiftly clicked away in her ridiculous heels.

Great… An enemy. Just what I needed.

* * *

><p>The rest of the weekend passed in a blur, and I chose not to tell anyone about the incident between me and Chelsea. I found myself in the matron's office at five to 11, Sarah, James and Scorpius in tow. The matron had written a note to our professors explaining that we would miss second and third lessons due to the appointment, which was 'of a sensitive nature'.<p>

"Right Miss Weasley, you know the drill." Madame Pettifoot said, leading me to the ornate fireplace.

"I would like to speak to you personally after the appointment please. I have excused you from your forth lesson today for that purpose." She said, staring at me through her glasses. I nodded and turned towards the fire.

I had spoken barely at all this morning due to shock and nerves. It felt like I was walking around in a bubble… no one could penetrate it but at the same time, I couldn't get out. I couldn't believe I was practically already a mother. All thoughts of adoption, abortion and suicide (I did consider it in one of my darkest hours) were far from my mind by this point. I had got myself into the mess, albeit not alone, but I would have to suffer the consequences. I could not end this new life… I knew I couldn't. For reasons other than just the risk of media knowledge… I knew it would haunt me for the rest of my days if I did. Adoption would be almost worse… I couldn't carry a life inside me for 9 months and then just hand it to somebody else when the really tough bit started. It wouldn't be right… Everyone would already love it by then.

This train of thought led me all the way through the floo and I found myself in a pristine, white office.

"Miss Weasley, a pleasure to meet you." A beaming woman in a long, white overcoat said, extending her hand.

"Mr Malfoy, Mr Potter, Miss Addams." She said, shaking all of our hands in turn, still smiling dazzlingly. I didn't ask how she knew all of our names… we were all famous in this world.

"Take a seat please." She said, and we all sat down in the white, plastic, uncomfortable seats opposite her desk.

"My name is Sister Ann Weathers, but please call me Ann. I am the acting head of the midwifery department here at St Mungos." She explained.

"I will just give you this form to fill out and then you can pop next door to have the scan." She said, handing me a piece of parchment and a white quill and smiling her way out of the room.

I looked at Sarah, James and Scorpius and then down at the form. It was the basics, name, date of birth, etc etc. I had never injured myself badly enough to need to come into St. Mungos so their records needed updated since my birth ones I suppose.

"Right. Come on you guys, let's go and get scanned." I said. We all filed out of the room and into the dazzlingly clean ward full of private rooms. Fancy. We entered the nearest room and closed the door behind us.

"Thank you." Sister Ann said as she took the form from my outstretched hand. A nurse I had only just noticed stepped forward and took the form to a filing cabinet (also white) in the corner.

"Right Rose, I'm just going to put this screen up and ask you to put this on" Sister Ann said, handing me a blue garment and drawing the screen around me.

I unfolded it to discover a kind of cropped top. I took my baggy red shirt off and slipped the cropped top over my bra to reveal my stomach. I glanced in a mirror opposite me and noticed that I was beginning to put on weight. Not just around my stomach, just in general. My thighs looked shapelier in my jeans, my breasts overflowed all my bras and my arse was growing to a size of such astronomical proportions that it was a wonder that it hadn't yet eclipsed the sun. Well, maybe it wasn't that bad. I wasn't fat, and I had never been thin. But there was definitely a bit of chub around the midriff. I sighed, knowing that I'd better get bloody used to it.

* * *

><p>"I'm ready" I said after a few more seconds lamenting my hips, which seemed to be heading south for winter.<p>

Sister Ann drew back the screen and Scorpius' face came into view first. He looked uncomfortable and out of place. Although that might be because there are pictures of vaginas and wombs covering every wall. James was cradling a plastic baby he had obviously plucked from the adjacent (and now empty) model of a womb on the table next to him. Sarah smiled encouragingly at me, taking the baby from James without looking and putting it on the table. Ann gestured for me to lie on the bed on the other side of the room.

"Right. As you probably know, only two people are allowed in the room at the time of the scan." Sister Ann said to me as she fluffed up the pillow under my back.

"I'll go" Sarah said quickly, knowing that James was family and should stay and Scorpius should see his child for the first time too, unbeknownst to him of course.

"No, please no..." I said quickly. I was beginning to panic, my palms sweating and my heart racing. My friends came over to me and Sarah took one of my clammy hands. James placed a hand on my shoulder and Scorpius' fingers entwined with mine.

"Can't you bend the rules? She's really nervous," James asked in his most charming voice, giving the midwife his famously adorable puppy-dog eyes. The young midwife and even younger nurse looked at each other uncertainly. James gave the nurse a cheeky wink. She blushed. Was it me or did Sarah's grip on my hand just tighten?

"I'm sure we can make an allowance. She is _very_ young." The nurse said, looking at me in what she assumed was a kind way, and not like a patronising bitch.

"That's rich. What are you here for anyway, are you on a school trip?" I muttered darkly under my breath. Only Scorpius heard me and the corners of his mouth twitched upwards in a stifled smile.

"Okay Rose. They can all stay. But I can't guarantee the same thing for next time." Sister Ann said, looking at me seriously. I nodded.

"Right. The procedure here is that we give you a potion which will make your stomach see through. We can then have a real look at the baby on this screen and see how it reacts to touch through your tummy." She said, pointing to a large flat-screen next to my bed and smiling. I nodded again, words having failed me. She handed me a little, blue glass bottle.

"Drink it all, it takes about five minutes to kick in, so we'll return then." Ann said, smiling kindly and exiting the room, the nurse in tow.

I gulped down the minty liquid and Sarah, Scorpius and James pulled some chairs towards the bed.

"Have you told the father yet then? Whoever _he_ is." Scorpius said after a minute, not looking at me. He sounded snide. James glared at him from the other side of me in warning.

"I just thought he would be here if he knew..." Scorpius added unwittingly after catching sight of James.

Is it just me who can practically _taste_ the irony?

"He doesn't know yet." I said, hoping to end the conversation. Scorpius opened his mouth to say something potentially even more awkward.

"Well done for standing up to Chelsea, Scor" Sarah said quickly, cutting him off.

"I- oh, thanks. Well she can't expect to tell me what to do. I wouldn't dream of telling her what to do." He said, frowning in confusion. He opened his mouth to add something but James let out a strange strangled sound from next to me.

"I can see… oh my god, is that the foetus?" He said, half horrified, half awed. I stared down at my stomach and gasped. It was like there was a window in my belly… I was staring at a tiny, weenie, teacup human surrounded by all my organs moving away doing their own little thing.

"It's amazing isn't it?" The midwife said. She and the nurse had returned without making a sound. The four of us looked up, mouths agape.

"That's… that's my… my…" I stuttered.

Tears were welling up in my eyes. The nurse placed a connector on my tummy and the flat-screen lit up. There it was - a zoomed-in picture of my tiny little baby. The tears overflowed and I looked across to Sarah, who was looking tearful too. She squeezed my hand and a big tear splashed onto her shirt. She wiped her own tears away, frustrated and smiled at me, though tears were forming again in her eyes.

"Its… amazing" Scorpius breathed from next to me and I turned to him. He had an odd, peaceful look on his face. He seemed dazed. I looked up at James and he had his hands on Sarah's shoulders, looking down on her with pure love in his eyes, though she couldn't see it.

"Look at you lot, all gooey eyed!" Ann said with a sweet smile. We all broke out of our emotions and Sarah and I dried our eyes.

I looked down at my stomach with wide eyes. There I saw my incy wincey baby, all it's limbs curled into its body, its head looking strangely big compared to the rest of it. It's head was facing me, like it was giving me a tiny, internal hug. The nurse pressed on my stomach while the midwife watched the screen.

"Congratulations Rose, your baby is growing well and looks healthy. We will schedule you an appointment in another 6 weeks to check up on you again." Ann said, patting my hand. The window to my stomach was fading already and the screen went black.

"That's it?" I asked croakily. "I thought it would take longer than that." I said.

"Well the potion lasts for about twenty minutes." The nurse said to me as she unstuck the connector from my stomach.

Twenty minutes? It seemed like just seconds I had spent looking at my baby. The others seemed shocked too.

"It didn't seem that long." James said.

"It never does." The nurse and midwife looked at each other, smiling serenely.

"That's why we have this photograph ready for you." The nurse said, taking a piece of paper out of the flat screen and handing it to me.

There was my baby, in full colour, moving ever so slightly every now and again. Fresh tears welled up and the nurse smiled down on me. I internally apologised for thinking she was a patronising bitch earlier.

"Thank you… thank you so much." I said five minutes later as we all shook hands in Sister Ann's office.

"I look forward to seeing you soon. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns and I'll be sure to reply as soon as possible." Ann said to me reassuringly as James disappeared in the floo.

"Thanks again. See you soon!" I said as I took the floo powder in my hands and whooshed back to Hogwarts through the fireplace.

* * *

><p>"Take a seat please Rose" Madame Pettifoot said, gesturing to the singular chair in front of her. I did as instructed and sat down. The others had gone to their forth lesson and I was alone and starving here in the hospital wing.<p>

"So Miss Weasley," She began, "I just wanted to see how you are. It can't be easy to be famous, pregnant and seventeen." She said, offering me a cheese and ham sandwich, which I gladly accepted.

"I'm ok." I lied, wolfing down my sandwich in seconds.

"Well you aren't. But I am offering you a meeting with me on a one-to-one basis with me every few weeks or so, just to talk to someone about your situation. I assume your family doesn't know?" She said shrewdly.

"No they don't know. And as for the sessions I don't know. Can I get back to you? I've had a very overwhelming day…" I tailed off, feeling the weight of my baby's picture in my pocket. I wanted to take it out and gaze at it again.

"Of course you can. Do owl me when you have less on your mind, Rose." She said kindly, indicating towards the door.

I thanked her and rushed to my common room in a sort of daze. By the time I had got there, Sarah and James were in the sofa by the fire, having finished for the day as I had. I was expecting to have had forth lesson, as I had a free for fifth, but that was obviously cancelled without my knowledge.

"Hey Rose" Sarah greeted me, subconsciously scooting away from James. When they are together they tend to get closer… in their hearts they aren't meant to be apart, and they know it deep down.

"Hi guys" I said "She just wanted to basically offer me counselling every few weeks. I dunno whether I'll take her up on it yet. Might be helpful" I shrugged, sitting by James.

"Can we see the picture again?" Sarah asked after a few seconds, obviously not being able to help herself any longer. My mouth twitched up – I was aching to see it too.

"Course." I said, sliding it out of my pocket and bringing it into the light so James and Sarah could both look at it.

"What's that?" A familiar voice said from behind me. We all jumped and turned to see Lily leaning over the back of the sofa, smiling. James chucked the photo at me with all the skill of a Seeker and I stuffed it down the front of my shirt.

"Nothing." We said in unison.

"Didn't look like nothing. Looked almost like a baby!" Lily said, laughing as though it were a joke. She caught sight of my face, which must have looked panicked as hell. The laughter slid from her face slowly. She came round to stand in front of us.

"Can I have a look Rose?" She asked softly, holding her hand out. We stared at her.

"Lils…" James said weakly. She ignored him.

"Please, Ro?" She asked, big brown eyes wide, "I'd like to see it."

I looked at James and Sarah, terrified, and slowly took out my picture and handed it to Lily. She stared at it for many minutes and sat cross legged on the floor suddenly as if her legs could no longer hold her.

"Is it yours? Are you pregnant Rosie?!" Lily asked in a hushed voice, shocked. We all looked at each other.

"Yes. It's mine and I am." I admitted in a whisper.

"Oh my god." She said, setting the photo down. I clamped a hand over my stomach and stroked the soft material of my top for comfort.

"W-when? And how? And who…who is the father?!" She asked, in the same quiet voice.

"I went for my overdue 6 week scan today. I am about eight weeks pregnant, so almost two months now. It wasn't planned, and nobody in my family knows… Lily, please don't tell anybody" I said pleadingly, managing to dodge out the 'who's the daddy' question.

"Of course I won't!" She said, horrified at the idea of blabbing. "How many people know?" She asked after a second. I did some quick maths inside my head.

"Excluding the matron, midwife and nurse, six people." I said.

"So, Sarah and James, Scorpius, Dominique, Becky and Albus?" She asked.

"Yes."

"So both my brothers have known, but not me?" She said, looking at James.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked him, hurt.

"It wasn't my place, Lils." He insisted earnestly. Lily looked hurt and annoyed for a minute more.

"Of course it wasn't," she said, looking understanding, "But not even Hugo knows?"

"No, nobody but you lot know." I said desperately.

I felt like pulling my hair out – Lily knowing was stressing me out for some reason… perhaps because I hadn't been prepared to drop a bombshell on another family member today. It seems that every day the truth slips from my fingers a little bit more, and somebody else has to find out.

"Hey Lil, how about me and you go up to my dormitory and have a Butterbeer and some Honeydukes and you can ask _me_ all the questions, yeah? Rose has had a really stressful day." Sarah said kindly, jumping to my rescue once again.

Lily looked at me as if working out how stressed I was. It didn't take long for her to see that I was considerably frazzled.

"Okay Sare." She nodded, looking up at her sister-at-heart. Sarah helped her to her feet and Lily passed me the photograph and I relaxed into my seat.

"See you in a bit you two," Sarah said, her arm around a shell-shocked Lily as they climbed the steps to our dormitory. I raised a hand to show I had heard her and looked at James, knowing how tired and upset I looked. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

* * *

><p><strong>After the reading the reviews I just want to say:<br>**

**Annie – Genuinely appreciated your comment, but most people enjoy the pairing, so to pander to the minority would be a mistake. **

**Halfbloodbanana – I love your enthusiasm, every time I update I look for your comments!**

**To _all _the people who reviewed, thank you and enjoy.**

**Until next time!**

**-Sarita x**


	19. Chapter 18: Stupid Cupid

**Chapter 18: Stupid Cupid**

Lily

"Okay. Well now I know everything." I said numbly, two hours after we'd left Rose downstairs.

My big cousin was going to be a mum. She would have a little baby of her own… at age 17. Sarah snapped a huge slab of Honeydukes into rows of eight and handed me one. She bit her own slab as I broke mine into pieces, watching her chew thoughtfully.

"So Scorpius doesn't know?" I asked for the fifth time.

"He doesn't know he's the father, no" Sarah replied patiently. I sat in silence for a few minutes.

"I need to talk about something else… my head will explode if I keep obsessing." I said, lying more comfortably on Sarah's stack of pillows.

"Okay, what do you want to-?"

"Do you love James, Sare?" I asked suddenly, cutting her off. She gasped and accidentally inhaled some of the chocolate she had been taking a bite of. I sat up quickly, and she coughed, her face reddening and her hands flew to her chest momentarily before she instantly relaxed.

"Non-verbal magic" She wheezed, massaging her throat. I relaxed again, sure she was okay.

"Why do you ask that, Lil?" She added after she had recovered, her stunning blue eyes darting between mine.

"Because I want to know." I shrugged as if it was nothing. It wasn't. I needed to find a way to make James happy again.

"Lily, I will always love James. Nothing could ever, ever change that. But I have other things on my mind. I have Rose to support… and I have a boyfriend who I care about." Sarah replied carefully. I nodded.

"I understand." I said. I truly did. But it didn't mean I would stop trying to get her back with James any time soon.

I'm Lily Potter, but you can call me the new cupid.

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

"Great practice tonight guys. We are going to kick some Slytherin arse on the weekend!" James said in the changing room a week later. I sighed. He was working us to death again.

"Right, I'm sure you all want to shower and get to bed. See you at practice tomorrow!" He added, dismissing us. It had been a long Monday, a long few weeks actually.

As I meandered through the hallways alone after my shower, I thought over the past few weeks. I had showed the others my scan photo and there had been a mixture of reactions.

"Aww," Becky had said, nervously checking my reaction to this.

"Yeah, it's really… erm... It's really little." Dom said lamely.

"It has your eyes" Albus had joked. I had pocketed the photo and swallowed the desire to burst into tears.

"There, there Rosie. You're going to get through this; we're all going to be there for you the whole time, okay?" Albus added, noting my expression.

I shook my head to try and dispel the memory of last week as I climbed distractedly between my clean, crisp and warm sheets. Lily hadn't spoken to me since she found out. She had been avoiding me, escaping the dinner table before I had finished and not hanging out in the common room. According to Hugo, she spent most of her time in the library reading violently pink books on her own the whole time, and the rest of the time nobody knew where she was. I sighed and looked down at my body before pulling the duvet over me. I had my flannel pyjamas on, and I felt lovely and clean and warm. I stroked the skin of my stomach and pulled my penguin patterned top up to reveal my stomach. It was usually fairly flat when I was lying down, although I usually had a bit of a cake-induced bump forming a tiny pot-belly. However nowadays there were small purple threads of stretch marks clawed over my hips and my stomach was perhaps slightly bigger than before. I wouldn't start showing yet, but _I_ could tell. I soon drifted off to sleep, dreaming terrifying dreams of a Godzilla-sized me terrorizing Hogwarts with my huge baby bump…

"Rosie, can you pass the ketchup please?" Dom asked patiently for the second time two days later over dinner.

"What? Oh yeah, of course." I said, giving her the bottle.

"What's with you today, your head is in the clouds" She commented as Sarah sat down next to me at the table, looking tired but pretty as ever.

"Hi Lily" Dom said casually and I looked up to see Lily stood behind Sarah. She looked momentarily terrified and quickly passed a goblet into a bemused James's hand. He looked up from where he was sat next to Sarah and Danny looked up at Lily from Sarah's other side.

"What you doing with my hot chocolate? You know I need that to stay awake to do my homework!" Sarah said playfully, smiling and looking back down at her bowl of rice and chicken strips. Lily blushed, smiled nervously, muttered a high-pitched 'sorry!' and scuttled away. James looked inside the cup.

"She must have thought it was yours, she wouldn't randomly drink from Sarah's goblet." I said to him.

"How do you drink this with dinner?" He asked, putting it down after eyeing it up and returning to his meal. Sarah pushed her goblet away from her.

"I usually have it with ice cream after dinner," She explained, picking the cup up and putting her nose to it, "But it smells a bit funny tonight."

"Give it here?" Danny said, opening his hand. He took a hearty swig and licked his lips.

"It doesn't taste too bad. Maybe a bit metallic, perhaps the cup is getting old or something," he said casually, giving his girlfriend her goblet back.

"Whatever. I'll go down to the kitchens later and get one if I fancy it tonight before bed." Sarah shrugged.

"Okay. Well I will see you later," Danny said, dropping a kiss onto Sarah's cheek and standing up, "I'm going with Steve to do that Herbology write-up on the magical properties of ginger root." He sighed.

"Bye gorgeous!" He said, winking at Sarah and casually waving at the rest of us.

"Bye love-muffin!" James said sweetly, grinning after Danny with a soppy look on his face. Danny didn't hear him as he exited the Great Hall and Sarah raised her eyebrows at him, smiling crookedly.

"What time is the field booked tonight?" Dom asked, concentrating intently on hexing Amy's goblet to fill with frogspawn over at Slytherin table.

"Seven. It'll be dark by then so the flood-lights will be on" James said, stuffing his pockets with mini French baguettes for when he wanted a snack later. I looked at my watch. Just over an hour and a half to get ready and get my new-fangled phenomenon that I call 'morning-sickness-but-in-the-evening' out of the way.

I finished my meal and stood up, not fancying dessert.

"I'm going to read a chapter of my Quidditch book now, see you upstairs in a bit" I said, subconsciously holding my stomach as I got up. I grinned at the guys before walking from the hall and finding my way up the stairs to our common room, where I sat in comfort to read- one of the only means of escaping my problems right now.

But let's face it, I deserve a night off.

* * *

><p>"James, have you seen Danny?" Sarah asked, coming up behind my cousin suddenly later that evening. None of us had seen him for a while and she had asked the rest of us. James turned around from the fire and stepped forward automatically closer to her and fell over, landing at her feet.<p>

"That was slick." She said with a smile, helping him to his feet. "How do you keep managing to fall over?"

"I don't _manage_ to, it's not like it's a goal I've set myself. I _happened_ to fall over. It was an incident of trippery that nobody could have foreseen." James rambled on.

"I could have foreseen it – your laces are undone." Sarah replied, brushing dust off his chest and then turned and walking away, laughing.

She came and sat down next to me, shaking her head with a smile on her lips. Soon I found myself sat on the floor by the fire with her, beating her at Exploding Snap, which, thinking about it, was probably not as safe as James 'Singed Eyebrows' Potter had led us to believe. The man himself was on the sofa with Dom, their heads together trying to figure out a new and daring way to get into Hogsmeade at night, however ever since I'd overheard him say the words 'thirty fireworks' and 'distraction' in the same sentence, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be going along with this plan any time soon. Lily was finally being seen around the common room again and she and two of her friends were practising some transfiguration on an old tea towel they had found. Becky was looking over some of Rich's homework in the corner and we were all very relaxed when Danny's best mate Steve burst into the common room, panting.

"It's – Danny" He gasped. "He's – been - _poisoned_!"

* * *

><p>"<em>What the fuck happened?"<em> Sarah hissed over Danny's sleeping body ten minutes later in the hospital wing.

"We were in the library and he started to look a bit pale, then he started having a fit or something – he was foaming at the mouth – so I sent a first-year to get Madame Pettifoot." Steve replied, worry etched into his face.

"Don't worry; he'll be fine within a few days. I was just speaking to the matron and she says that he ate or drank something containing a badly made potion." Dom said shrugging and patting Steve on the shoulder.

"What kind of potion?" I asked, trying to do some sleuthing in my head.

"She doesn't know. We probably won't find out. The main thing is that he's going to make a full recovery before Monday. Maybe even in time for the match. Fingers crossed." Dom filled us in.

My mind was whirring. Why would Danny drink a random potion? Why would _anyone_ drink a random potion?

Suddenly a thought hit me and I got a sinking feeling in my stomach… Perhaps if he didn't _know_ he was drinking it… My eyes darted up and I met with James's brown ones. He looked concerned as he looked between Sarah and Danny. I looked down again and quickly went back through my day, thinking of anything weird that I may have witnessed him ingesting… and then it hit me.

"Excuse me." I said. Everyone watched me hurriedly leave the ward and as soon as I was out of sight, I began sprinting down the corridor. I appeared in the common room five minutes later.

"_Lily_!" I hissed through gritted teeth, grabbing her arm roughly and dragging her up the stairs to my dormitory.

"What is it Rose?" Lily asked. Her face was sweet and innocent but her terrified eyes gave her away.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're playing at?!" I demanded. Lily shook her hands in a flustered way and sat down on the nearest bed.

"You poisoned Danny?!" I practically shrieked, believing her to be absolutely mental. "I know you want Sarah and James back together, but trying to _kill_ Danny? That's really fucking serious Lily!"

"I wasn't trying to kill anyone… I didn't mean to… it was Amortentia… I've been working on it all last week…I put it into Sarah's drink; there must have been something wrong with it!" Lily admitted, bursting into tears.

"I didn't know he drank it!" She added, hiccupping through her sobs.

"Well it's a bloody good job he did otherwise Sarah would be lying in that hospital bed and James would be on the warpath for whoever hurt her!" I said, exasperated but sitting down next to my weeping cousin.

"It – was - an _accident_" Lily hiccupped, looking at me with huge, tear-filled eyes.

"I know."

"Please don't tell anyone, I don't want to go to Azkaban!" Lily wept.

"Don't be a dick. I'm not going to turn you in. And you wouldn't go to prison just because you spiked someone's drink trying to play god. By the way, cupid would be _**so **_pissed off if he'd seen you"

Lily gave me a watery smile, but her face was still worried.

"Please don't tell James… he wouldn't understand." She said, staring at me, on tenterhooks.

"Well Danny is going to be okay, so I won't tell anyone. But don't do anything like this again Lily; you can't force things like this. James will get Sarah back in the end, we all know their love is like a fairytale… how many fairytales do you know where the handsome wizard doesn't win the beautiful sorceress' heart and they don't live happily ever after? It'll happen. Have patience." I said, leading her out of my dorm as she wiped her tears.

"Thanks Rosie." She said before she took a deep breath and returned to her friends.

I love my family, but god they can be a handful.

* * *

><p>The night passed weirdly. Sarah stayed in the hospital wing until as late as they would let her and afterwards didn't speak to any of us before she went for a bath and then bed. The next evening at Quidditch practice was incredibly eventful though.<p>

There I was, happily minding my own business (and of course trailing the quaffle) when Sarah swung her beaters bat as hard as you would think possible and whacked the bludger with a sickening crack towards James, snarling menacingly. I could see why she was a beater. Merlin, I've never seen any girl with so much aggressive power. God help anyone on the receiving end of that kind of force when she was angry, never mind PMS. James swerved to avoid it, but it grazed his left elbow just as he tucked it in.

"OW! What the hell has gotten into you?" He yelled at her. "We're at practice; you shouldn't be even _trying_ to exert that kind of force!" He called to her back as she flew away.

Lily passed me the quaffle and I threw it into the hoop with a satisfying 'ding!' Steve high-fived me as I flew back to my starting position by our goal and Lily gave me the thumbs-up from the other end of the pitch, beside Sarah.

"What's wrong with Sare?" Dom called over the wind from about two feet behind me, marking the hoops. I looked over my shoulder and shrugged. I could see her from over here, hovering by Lily and watching out for either of the bludgers. I could see one flying in my direction and in about a second Sarah was behind me. I ducked just as she swung her bat and sent the bludger rocketing at least fifty feet away at about three thousand miles per hour.

"Jesus, Sarah" I said, awed, but she was already back on James' tail and hit the other bludger at the back of his head.

"DUCK, JAMES!" Steve roared from beside our captain and James instinctively dropped about ten feet on his broom, staring up at Sarah's face, which was contorted in anger.

"What the HELL is wrong with you!" James bellowed at Sarah, zooming towards her.

He grabbed her arm and rocketed down to earth and ignoring her cries of pain as she was dragged behind him, as limp as a rag doll. The rest of the team hovered uncertainly, Lily looking positively ashen with worry as we looked down. James still had Sarah by the arm.

"Are you trying to bloody kill me?!" James shouted, gripping her arm like a vice.

"With any luck! My aiming is terrible, I really should _practice_!" She snarled fiercely. James looked at her with confusion while Steve tried to rally us together to play.

"Right Lily, you mark me and I'll try to get the quaffle past Dom. Go!" He shouted as loud as he could, trying to cover the awkwardness. The others got back to playing and I heard the clang of quaffle against hoop as I hovered above Sarah and James, pretending to sort out my broom tail.

"I don't understand…" James said to Sarah, looking hurt while she tried to beat his hand away from her arm with her bat.

"_What don't you understand?_ YOU POISONED MY BOYFRIEND!" Sarah bellowed. James dropped her arm as her cheeks reddened in fury.

"Poison Danny? I don't think so! Why would I poison him? The match against Slytherin is this Saturday!" James said back, trying not to raise his voice. Steve cheered loudly up above as I hovered ten feet above Sarah and James, ears peeled back.

"Hmm… Why would you poison Danny…I don't know, maybe because you hate him!" Sarah spat. James shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't hate him." He said quietly.

"Well why else do you try and get him away from me all the time? I'm not doing him any harm!" She cried, too angry to sound really miserable, although there was a hint at sadness behind her voice.

She had totally the wrong end of the stick. James must have done a pretty good job of convincing her he didn't love her anymore if she thought James was genuinely concerned for Danny's welfare around Sarah rather than just plain ol' jealousy.

"Because I don't like him being all over you, Sarah. Can't you see?" James groaned. It was her turn to look confused, her beaters bat hanging loosely at her side.

"I don't know what you mean James…" she said uncertainly and I groaned inaudibly. She was going to make him spell it out for her. Lily suddenly came into my line of vision. She had been a few feet away at the time and touched down to earth just as her eldest brother opened his mouth.

"Come on, Jay. It's getting too dark," she said heavily. James half turned towards her and Sarah looked at him, frown back on her face.

"Well?" She said. James started to speak again but I touched down next to him, finally understanding what Lily was doing. He couldn't tell Sarah he loved her here and now, Sarah was far too loyal and kind to leave Danny on his sickbed, if indeed she did still care for James. In the long run, it was bound to leave him more hurt than before. There were better times than this for what James wanted so badly to say. He obviously realised this, and changed what he was going to say as Dom and Steve passed the quaffle between themselves up above.

"Would you have been this loyal to me if the tables were turned?" He asked Sarah quietly, stepping towards her. Sarah looked slightly up to the chocolate eyes no one could lie to.

"You mean if I was with you and I suspected Danny of hurting you in any way, shape or form would I try to kill him with my beaters bat while you lay on your sickbed?" She asked, quietly but clearly.

"Mmm." James replied, nodding and biting his lip in apprehension. Lily grabbed my hand for support; she too needed to know if there was hope that James could be happy again. Sarah stepped towards him, there were about two inches separating their lips.

"Kill for you James? In a heartbeat" She breathed before turning on her heel, inadvertently whipping his face with her gorgeous mane of hair, and marching towards the changing rooms, leaving James to sigh contentedly and pirouette on the spot.

* * *

><p>The next few days passed fairly quickly, Sarah and James didn't speak of the attempted murder incident and we all followed suit, although Dom and I had filled in the others. We were at dinner on Friday night when Steve came and sat next to Dom.<p>

"Hi guys. I just came to inform you about Danny. He'll be ready to be released from the hospital wing in about an hour – he'll be able to play the match tomorrow!" He said excitedly.

"Excellent!" Sarah said, beaming, "I'll go and grab some of his stuff. You finished Ro?" She asked.

"Yeah, want me to come along?" I asked. She nodded and we left the hall together.

"So, do you think someone was actually trying to hurt him?" I asked, trying to convince her and everyone else that I knew nothing.

"I don't know. But if I found out somebody was, they'll know about it." She said with a dangerous glint in her eyes. I shuddered internally, thinking of Lily.

"The main thing is that he's okay. It's just a bonus that we don't have to use our reserve beater." She added more calmly as we stepped off the magical staircase and walked down the corridor towards the ward. We turned the last corner and got a shock. There, sat by Danny's bed, was Amy, talking to him with a small smile on her face. Danny noticed us before she did, and we approached them.

"Hello?" Sarah said, bewildered.

"I came to bring Danny his Care of Magical Creatures homework." Amy explained, standing up and for once speaking to us like we were normal and not dragon dung.

"Oh right… thank you." Sarah replied, genuinely. This was awkward… we all knew that when Amy saw Sarah again she'd be trying to make a dig at her.

"Bye Danny." Amy said, shooting Danny a nervous glance. And just like that, she was gone.

"I didn't know you guys were friends?" Sarah asked inquisitively.

"We share most of our classes," Danny explained quickly. Sarah nodded.

"I only came in here to grab your books and stuff. Thought it would be a bugger to have to levitate or carry everything back." She said, picking his schoolbag up and throwing it over her shoulder.

"See you in a bit" She smiled, dropping a kiss on his cheek. I held up a hand in goodbye and we left.

"Don't you think that was a bit weird?" I asked quizzically.

"Not really, no. I trust him." Sarah shrugged. I couldn't see a way to continue the conversation so I left it at that.

We entered the common room and Sarah made her way up the boy's dormitory stairs after telling me she'd be coming to bed late while I padded up to our dormitory in my slippers. I was planning to tell Becky and Dom about the Amy visiting Danny thing and see what they thought about it… maybe it was nothing.

However, this plan flew out the window when I opened the door and found Becky, alone and crying on her bed. I shut the door behind me in shock and she looked up in terrified horror, wiping her eyes desperately.

"Bex, what's wrong?" I asked, shocked. She sniffed and I walked over and sat on her bed, drawing the curtains around us. Becky shook her head and half shrugged as if she didn't know where to start. I pulled her into a sideways hug.

"I think I'm falling out of love with Rich." She sniffed after a second, hugging me back. I looked at her, stunned.

"What d'you mean?"

"He hasn't done anything wrong, but I just… I just don't love him anymore… he used to give me butterflies in my stomach and I used to want to see him every waking moment. But I just… I just… oh I don't know Ro… I don't know what to do" She sobbed. I patted her shoulder, still completely stunned by this revelation.

"Oh Beck, don't cry. What do you think you want to do?" I said soothingly. I wasn't very good with crying women. Or men. Or children.

"I don't know… I don't want to be out of love with him… He is my world. But I just don't feel the way about him that I should… the way that I used to." She explained, pulling away from me and looking me in the eyes, for advice.

"I'm so sorry to burden you with this." She cried harder. "You've got so much going on…"

"Don't be silly. You can't go through this alone. That's what girlfriends are for! Does anyone know about this, Dom or Albus maybe?" I asked, knowing she was close to both of them.

"No. I didn't want anyone to know until I had made a decision. You finding out was just chance" She hiccupped. I rubbed her back.

"Look, how about you give it until the Christmas holidays, see if you can get the spark back… don't give up on it without knowing what you're giving up." I advised. She nodded slowly.

"Thank you Rosie. That sounds like a good plan. I don't want to chuck this away if I only feel bad right now. I do love him; I just need to remember why I was _in_ love with him." She said, her tears drying.

"There you go!" I said encouragingly, but realising that the way things stood between Scorpius and the boyfriend I never see, I was in no position to be doling out relationship advice. Becky gave me an attempt of a smile and I drew the curtains, letting more light in.

"I was going to have a bath before I started thinking." Becky said, showing me the clean pyjamas and towel in front of her.

"Hop along then. Go and have a soak." I said with a smile.

"Thanks Rose." She said, giving me a hug and taking her things into the bathroom.

It seems all my friend's lives are as screwed up as mine.

* * *

><p>"YES! DOM WEASLEY DEFLECTS THE QUAFFLE; STEVE JONES CATCHES IT, PASSES IT TO LILY WHO SHOOTS AND…SCORES! 10 MORE POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!" Rocky shouted.<p>

It was early Saturday afternoon and we'd been playing for about half an hour now, we were winning 120 to 80 against Slytherin so far, although this match didn't actually count towards the semi finals in May, it still felt good to see the looks on the faces of Amy and Chelsea.

"Albus Potter has spotted the Snitch! He dives, but James P is hot on his heels! The snitch flies toward Sarah Addams, who sends a bludger towards Albus! Nice shot, Addams!" Rocky's booming voice cried.

Sure enough, the bludger Sarah had whacked was hurtling towards Albus and James at light speed. James ducked immediately but Albus was slightly too late and had to slow down and shoot upwards, giving James the edge. James leant forward on his broom, whizzing towards the golden snitch, and –

"GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Rocky cried. We flew back down to earth, whooping ecstatically.

James jumped off his broom, ran towards Sarah and pulled her roughly against his chest. I jumped in the air while Dom grabbed me around the waist and kissed both my cheeks twice. I noticed something out of the corner of my eye when Danny threw his broom to the muddy floor and advanced to a still embracing James and Sarah. He got there just in time, for James had pressed a heartfelt kiss to her forehead and was making his way down to her lips when Danny pulled them roughly apart, rounding on James and throwing Sarah behind him savagely.

"That's it! I've had it up to here with you James! She's my fucking girlfriend; you can't keep trying to kiss her every five bloody seconds or interrupting us every time you think we're having sex! If you hadn't noticed, she chose _me_! And we're happy; she doesn't need you reminding her of the big mistake she made when she decided to go out with you in the first place!" Danny shouted.

We all broke apart and the crowds, who were in the middle of piling out of the stands, took their seats, hoping to watch a fight.

As always, James didn't disappoint.

Danny hit the floor, blood spilling from his mouth; James has very strong arms and he can use them well. From the muddy ground Danny crouched and sprang up towards James, taking him around the waist and tackling him to the floor, where he weighed him down, punching him repeatedly 'below the belt' and in the stomach. He got another well-aimed punch in between James' legs, and my cousin cried out with a masculine grunt and screwed his eyes shut, unable to defend himself due to the agonising pain.

"NO!" Sarah screamed, before she swung her beater's bat and hit Danny around the head with a sickening crack.

The crowd gasped unanimously, although not being able to see who exactly had hit Danny and when Dom, Lily and I reached them, Danny was slumped over a groaning James, unconscious. I managed to drag him off my cousin, with Albus' help, and a trembling Sarah threw the beaters bat at my feet and dropped to her knees beside James as he rolled on his side, tucking his legs up to his chest and still screwing his eyes shut, coughing and wheezing. Albus, Scorpius and Freddie jumped off their brooms and hurried across the field towards us.

"Alright, nothing to see here!" Lily shouted as professors begin running across the muddy field.

"Everyone give them some space!" Albus added, standing over James so no-one could see him at his weakest moment.

Scorpius and all the other lads in the vicinity were scrunching their faces up in sympathy and wincing as they look down at James, whose face was being stroked lovingly by Sarah.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so, so sorry" She's whispering to him under her breath. He grabbed her hand with the one that wasn't clutching his crotch and looked up at her through teary eyes.

"Jamie, are you _crying_?" She whispered in disbelief.

I'm not so surprised, it's probably very painful, and she's rarely seen him cry. Come to think of it, I never had until she broke up with him. Honestly, I've never seen someone so depressed, his eyes turned into Niagara Falls as soon as he was alone with me for about four months after they finished. After that he just resorted to obsessing over her.

"You have no idea how painful this is." He croaked, trying to crack a smile and she kissed his forehead, her perfect hair dangling in the mud as she cradled his head, whispering something that sounds terribly like 'my poor Jamie.'

Aww.

But still, those three are going to have detentions until half term. All together. Probably not the best plan ever, that.

"Miss Weasley" Said a from behind me. About twelve of us turned around. I turned to see Madame Pettifoot, the school nurse, gaping at the scene in front of us. Scorpius, Albus, Me, Dom, Freddie, Lily and Steve have created a sort of barrier between James, Sarah, Danny and the rest of the world.

"What happened here?" Madame Pettifoot asked, hurrying towards James and looking at Sarah, who was closest.

"Well, Danny attacked James and so-" she started, wiping the mud from James' face gently and absentmindedly while he lay curled on the floor, eyes closed with the effect of her touch.

"I hit him around the melon with this." I said quickly with a maniacal laugh, picking up the beaters bat that Sarah had discarded.

Danny, Sarah and James in joint detention? I don't think so.

"Rose Weasley!" Professor Hart screeched from behind me.

Oh hells bells and buckets of blood.

"Did you do this?!" She continued. She's my head of house and she's Minerva McGonagall's niece. And yes, there _is_ a family resemblance.

"No. She was covering for me. I levitated it with my wand from over there." Scorpius said, stepping up from behind me and putting an arm around me. Freddie narrowed his eyes at him. Sarah stared at us from the floor, mouth agape. Two people had covered for her in less than two minutes. Danny was being levitated to the Hospital Wing and Sarah stood up and followed James, holding his hand as he too floated on thin air and still looking shocked at me and Scorpius.

"Right, joint detention for James, Danny and Scorpius for fighting, and also Rose for covering for Scorpius. Detention starts at half past eleven next Saturday. Now get out of my sight!" Hart bellowed and we all trudged up to the changing rooms to shower and change and then go up to the Hospital Wing.

God, the things I do for my friends.

* * *

><p><em>Hi guys,<em>

_Just thought I ought to tell you all that, while it wasn't my intention to keep you all waiting this long for the juicy bits to pop up (I've had a few well-deserved comments about how far along into the story it took to find out Rose was pregnant and about how long it's taking for Scorpius to find out it's his) I realize it has been quite a long time coming. I thought I'd give the more impatient of you a heads-up: Scorpius doesn't find out until Chapter 29. It wasn't planned to be that far along into the story, but there we have it. I do regret that it took that long to find the right place for him to learn the truth, but as a writer, I would prefer the good parts are written right rather than crowbarred into the story as an afterthought._

_Obviously I expect a few of you to be more than annoyed that it will take that long and will probably give up reading. For those of you who **are** interested enough to keep reading, my love goes out to you! To keep you loyal few interested, an interesting holiday and an eventful New Year's Eve for the gang is coming up before the shit hits the proverbial fan with Scorpius. Please R & R as ever, I look forward to your thoughts and feelings on the chapter and this footnote._

_- Sarita x_


	20. Chapter 19: Letters From Home

**Chapter 19: Letters From Home**

"I want you two to apologize and shake hands _right now_ or so help me god I will bang your heads together!" Sarah demanded later that night in the cabin. Danny and James had both spent less than 10 minutes in the hospital wing and were now stood sheepishly in front of her, while Dom, Becky, Lily, Albus, Freddie, Scorpius and I stood behind her, arms folded in disapproval.

"I'm sorry mate; I'm on a really strong cocktail of pain potions at the moment. I was completely out of it for most of the game" Danny admitted with embarrassment, extending his hand.

"I shouldn't have risen to it. I get such an adrenaline rush after Quidditch that usually I go and kick the shit out of a tree, instead of a member of my team. You played well today, no matter what." James replied genuinely, shaking Danny's hand.

"You all played well." James said to the rest of the room, inclining his head towards the Slytherins in our midst as well. Albus gave him a lopsided smile.

"Some more than others - I'm lucky to be alive!" Albus gasped dramatically, winking at Sarah, who managed to look apologetic and quietly proud at the same time.

"Don't fuck with hormonal women is the lesson there," Dom grinned, plopping down into a chair. The rest of us followed suit and took up seats.

"I'm not hormonal! I'm just a psychopath" Sarah shrugged.

"Well then the real lesson here is don't fuck with Sarah," Dom corrected with a smirk.

"It's weird you didn't plan a party tonight James?" Scorpius said inquisitively.

"Yeah, I got a tip-off that somebody had grassed us up to a teacher after the last party; probably Michael Troy. Whatever the case, I decided to wait til the next match for a party. Anybody checking the halls tonight won't find a trace of us and they'll think it was a wind-up." James shrugged.

Although this was true, I didn't think James was too bothered that he couldn't hold a party this time. He was still wary of his parties after the fateful one in September. I doubted it would keep him from throwing another one though.

"Shame; I had to make other plans." Scorpius said nonchalantly. I looked up.

"Really? What are you up to then?" I asked.

"I'm taking Chelsea into Hogsmeade for a drink." He replied, something glinting in his eyes as he looked at me, trademark smirk on his lips.

"You're right. That _is_ a shame." I said without missing a beat, provoking laughter from he gang. Scorpius scowled.

"I might bring her back here afterwards actually." He retorted loudly, raising his eyebrows challengingly at me.

"I don't bloody think so. I've only just got rid of the fleas in here from when James decided to spend last years spring half term here as a dog." Sarah snorted, drawing more laughter from everyone but Danny, who looked confused at this statement as he didn't know about us.

This time Scorpius knew when he'd been beaten and admitted defeat. He stood up, shooting me an expectant glance, his eyebrows bouncing slightly as if expecting me to stop him from leaving. I raised an eyebrow and looked at Freddie.

"Come on, _we'll _stay here tonight" I said to my boyfriend with a small smile. Freddie gave me a surprised look.

"Oh! Okay." He replied, smiling back.

Sarah raised her eyebrows in a 'do you really think that's a good idea?' look, while Dom smiled encouragingly. I should have known that anything that Dom thought was a good idea probably wasn't. Becky wolf-whistled as Freddie kissed me on the cheek tenderly and nobody but me noticed as Scorpius stalked from the cabin, shutting the door angrily behind him.

* * *

><p>I woke up in Freddie's arms the next day in his boxer shorts and t-shirt. It had been odd being with him again, but not unpleasant. It was delightfully familiar to feel him move in time with me and feel his breath on my neck. It was a good night, I had a good time as I always used to, and he made me feel like the only girl in the world when he gazed into my eyes and said my name like a prayer.<p>

So why the hell couldn't I get Scorpius out of my head?

_Because he's in your heart… and part of him is in your stomach now too… _

Thanks, brain. That's helpful.

"I've missed the sight of you in the morning with your hair all messy and wearing my clothes." Freddie said from next to me, startling me out of my dangerous thoughts.

"I've missed you too" I replied completely honestly. Yet at the back of my mind I couldn't help thinking that this whole situation was going to end in tears.

…And not just mine.

* * *

><p>We stayed in bed til 1 in the afternoon, reading the papers and eating lots of bacon. I thanked my lucky stars that lately my morning sickness had been coming later in the day – usually the evening.<p>

"Shit. I've got a Muggle Studies test on Monday first thing" Freddie said suddenly, jumping out of bed. I followed suit and got changed, thankful for an excuse to leave. I really want to see Sarah right now and just sit with her for a bit.

"Sorry Ro, I wish I could spend the day with you, but this test is a preparation for my January exam and I haven't even looked over my notes on electricity yet" Freddie apologised as we made our way swiftly up to the castle, having tidied the cabin hurriedly.

"It's a good thing you remember early on then!" I said brightly with a smile.

"Thanks Rosie, I knew you'd understand!" Freddie said, kissing me goodbye before he jogged down the stairs towards the dungeons.

I made my way up the stairs, meeting a lot of students making their way down towards the hall for lunch. I hoped that Sarah wasn't one of them and wasn't looking where I was going after I entered the password ("Dobby the Free Elf") and bumped suddenly into something soft.

"Ow bugger fucking OW my boobs!" I screeched. I looked up to see that I'd bumped into an amused Sarah.

"Freddie a bit rough with you last night, was he?" She asked, raising her eyebrows and smirking.

"Oh shut up" I said, though I smiled. I sat down on the squishy armchair in the corner and Sarah sat down on the sofa next to me.

"How was it then? I wasn't sure that it was a good idea." She asked seriously.

"Odd. I don't know. It's weird going back to an ex." I sighed thoughtfully.

"I'll bet" Sarah replied, looking equally as thoughtful.

"So your boobs are getting tender then?" She added.

"They feel sore" I moaned, adjusting my bra.

"Mine too. I just grew out of my last bra," James said from nowhere, vaulting over the back of the sofa and making himself comfortable next to Sarah.

"They really hurt" I said, ignoring him.

"I've got some period-pain potion upstairs that works on sore boobs. I'll go and get it" Sarah said, disappearing upstairs.

"So little ducky, what happened last night?" James asked.

"We sang the national anthem and danced around the living room" I said sarcastically.

"Ah go on, wasn't it weird?"

"It was alright. It was sex" I replied, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

"I could never sleep with someone I didn't love" James said quietly.

"It's a good job I love Freddie then isn't it?" I replied honestly. I do love him. But not in the half-crazed I-need-you-to-survive way that I used to. I don't know what that means yet.

"Here we go!" Sarah said brightly, coming down the stairs with a bottle.

"Take a swig of this. I read the label, it's suitable for use in your condition" She added.

"Keep your voice down!" I hissed jumpily, looking around the deserted common room.

"Calm down. Take some, now" Sarah said, sitting back down. I did as I was told and took a gulp.

"Aw, I feel better already" I sighed, soothed.

"Have that bottle. I'll order you some more up at the apothecary when I send off for my moisturiser."

I nodded.

"Thanks Sare." I said, pocketing the bottle.

"Haven't you two got homework to do?" I asked sternly. Sarah and James rolled their eyes.

"Yes, _Hermione_" James replied with a grin, ducking out from under my punch and darting up the stairs to retrieve his books.

* * *

><p>"When are you all free for shifting again?" Becky asked late that night to the common room in general.<p>

"Wait a minute, where's Sarah? We need to arrange with her too," I said, looking around.

"Dunno. With Danny maybe?" Dom shrugged.

"What does she see in him?" James asked grumpily, sinking into his usual seat by the fire and folding his arms.

"Well for a start he's absolutely _gorgeous_" Dom gushed dreamily.

"_I'm_ not _too_ harsh on the eyes..." James protested huffily, rumpling his untidy hair and looking terrifyingly like his namesake – James Potter the 1st – who we've seen in Uncle Harry's pensieve.

"And he's on the Quidditch team-" Becky continued.

"I'm _captain_ of the Quidditch team!"

"And then there's the fact that he's funny-" I began

"Knock, knock!"

"Not to mention that he seems to know Sarah inside and out" Becky added, smiling at James' frantic attempts.

"What do you lot know anyway. She's my soulmate and I'm getting her back, even if I have to chain her to a radiator to make her live with me." He folded his arms in determination.

"How is it that I can see that actually happening?" Dom asked, looking alarmed.

"Because it's _James_?" Albus replied with a Slytherin smirk.

James opened his mouth to retort when there was a tap-tapping at the glass window. I looked up to see my mother's owl stood shivering outside. I stood up and went over to him and let him in.

"How are you shivering?" I asked as he hopped onto my shoulder, hooting excitedly.

"Aww, he's got his little coat on" Dom said, cocking her head in adoration at Sprite, mums owl. I untied a large package and several letters.

Dom was right. My mum decided that on long journeys our little owl should have a little vest-like jacket that allows him to use his wings and legs but keeps him warm. Dad laughed but Sprite pecked him when he tried to take the coat off him.

Mental but true.

"Can I steal him?" Becky moaned from the corner. "He's sho shweet!" She added with a grin.

I grinned and sat down to open my post.

Sprite was hopping gleefully around the sofa, enjoying the attention from everyone and I ripped open the package first. It contained a small note from Nana Weasley, which I read before looking inside at what was probably food:

'_Rosie, _

_I know you're probably eating well enough, but please pass these around everyone. I have only heard from Lily this month and she seems well – Dominique wrote to talk to your Grandfather about the Quidditch result last month... Heard from Louis too – he says he is enjoying Beuxbatons. Your Uncle Percy flooed us the other day to tell us how American life is treating them – the girls are apparently enjoying Salem's Academy. Oh and do tell Albus that your grandfather absolutely adored his essay on the origins of electricity. We all send our love – see you at Christmas!_

_Nana xxxxxxx'_

"Nana says hello" I said to the room in general, passing around several dozen cream-cakes which had been iced with all our names on it.

"She's so nice. I love your Nan." Becky said, biting into an orange cake with 'Becky' iced onto it in white. I tore open the first letter I grabbed.

'_Dear Rose,_

_I hope school is going well and everyone is doing well too, please tell my __darling__ eldest child James that if he doesn't stop sending us photos of him setting fire to things then I will have to kill him. I hope I find you well, love, we all can't wait to see you lot over the holidays – I recently found a perfect present for your mum – it's a book on House Elves through the ages that she could use as research material for her latest book. She's settled on a name: _"A Complete Guide to the Proper Treatment of House Elves."_ What I have read of it is very good, but you'll see it over the holidays next month. I think your Grandfather has something planned for all you kids over the Christmas break, so brace yourselves! Also, I don't know whether your Nana told you, but she wants to know who can stay over at Christmas time, so if you could send her a list as soon as you have a minute it would be great – Lily already sent hers back but when I sent a letter asking James to, he replied with another bag of Honeydukes and what looked like some of his hair. Boys!_

_Anyway, see you soon sweetheart,_

_Your Auntie Ginny xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'_

I laughed and passed the letter around.

"She loves my fire pictures really." James said with his cat-like grin. I grabbed the next letter, which was scrawled in my father's handwriting.

'_Rosie,_

_Get James to send home some more pictures of him winding up Peeves – I put the last few on the wall in the study and even your mum laughed. My favourite is the one with his head covered in custard. Is he back with Sarah yet? Whenever I see him he insists that he will win her over again, but his best plan involved dangerous explosives and a dragon so I hope the poor girl is a fast runner. Also, is there any news on Hugo getting onto the quidditch team? I hope he's practicing for next years tryouts. Your mum sends her love – she wanted to write this letter to you but I beat her to it!_

_You still daddy's little girl? Love you loads Ro-Ro, _

_Dad xxx'_

I bit back tears as I folded the letter and put it in its envelope carefully. I took a deep breath to steady my emotions and I grabbed the penultimate letter, carefully opening it.

"_Miss Weasley,_

_After the trouble at the last Quidditch match, Professor Hart is determined that the detention is to take place in the Trophy Room. As a rogue bludger is on the loose in there, I have excused you from this activity on medical grounds. Don't get yourself into any more trouble as it will draw too much attention to your medical situation. At my suggestion your friends will be taking it in turns over the next three weeks to help me out in the Hospital Wing for one Saturday each instead. These detentions will not be joined._

_Stay out of trouble,_

_Madame Pettifoot"_

"Ha! Sarah will be happy about this," I said gleefully, passing the letter to James.

"Well done preggo!" James grinned at me. I shook my head with a smile as I grabbed the last letter.

"_Ro, _

_Ha! You wasted your time opening this! Please bring me a sandwich. _

_Your favourite cousin,_

_J.'_

"James!" I laughed, throwing the letter at him.

"What?" He asked with a grin. "Where's my sandwich?" He asked seriously.

"Get knotted." I replied, smiling casually.

"How about we just say we'll shift tomorrow night and we can cancel it if Sarah's not free?" Becky asked, tucking into her third named cake.

"Good idea, if you see her can you tell her? I'm off to bed, eat all the cakes you want" I said tiredly, excusing myself and making a beeline for my warm bed.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for<em>_ all the reviews guys! Keep 'em coming!_

_-Sarita x_


	21. Chapter 20: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

**Chapter 20: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do**

My four paws hit the floor running and my senses were overwhelmed. My fox-eyes honed in on unicorn tracks a few metres away and I smelt what felt like a hundred scents at once – Scorpius' intoxicatingly earthy wolfness, Sarah's sweet and feral scent, the dampness of the dead trees and the earthy, soggy smell of the ground. Becky's fainter and more citrusy aroma appeared to me as I neared her and James, who smelled heady and masculine… all my animal senses screamed 'alpha male' when his scent hit me. He is the leader of our weird pack. I don't know why – it wasn't a conscious act on his part. Albus suddenly gave his cool-sounding yelp – a kind of cross between a cat's loud meow and a growl. We trot over to him, as he is stood at the edge of the clearing, nose to the ground.

I put my nose next to his and we look at each other. We don't know this smell. We've never come across whatever creature left this scent. It smells weirdly familiar though… not like I've ever smelt it before, but like I associate this scent with someone. James follows a trail around a tree and pops up the other side in his human form wearing his jeans and no shirt, like he was when he changed.

"Stay as you are you lot. I smell a banshee around here. It has been foggy I suppose." He said, scratching me behind the ears like I was a pet dog.

It is _ridiculously_ nice to be stroked and petted. No wonder cats will lie on your lap for ages, purring. It's nicer than you'd think imaginable, having your big sticky-outy fox ears scratched. Sarah nuzzled up to me, digging her snout into my cheek, trying to get my attention. I followed her to the foot of the tree and sniffed. Dom and Becky had paired off to search the other edge of the clearing and Scorpius and Albus were separately exploring – Albus being about twenty feet up a huge fir tree and Scorpius sniffing a protruding tree root.

"Christ its cold out here when you don't have fur," James said to no-one in particular. Sarah barked a foxy laugh and James grinned.

I was glad I could come out tonight, I had felt wary about shifting ever since I found out I was pregnant, but after doing extensive reading up on the subject (can anyone say _Hermione?)_ I discovered that, like Quidditch, I would be able to continue until my third trimester.

Happy days!

"Smell anything Ro?" He asked. I shook my head and kept sniffing.

"Right, well I think we should head back, it's midnight" He said, glancing at his wristwatch in the light of the crescent moon.

"I've got an idea, let's go up to the dormitory in our animal forms, we haven't done that in a while and you know how much it confuses the Fat Lady" James said with a grin. We all gathered around him in a formation as he changed back on the spot and appearing suddenly as a huge dog, comically standing on his hind legs.

We raced back to the edge of the forest and stopped dead when we saw movement by the Great Lake. We all crouched down, our dark fur keeping us well hidden. Becky, whose artic coat gave her away immediately, hid between Dom and I, while Sarah flanked James. In unison we looked at each other and understood immediately that we needed to get closer. We crept around Hagrid's hut and lay, crouched in the pumpkin patch, gazing over towards the lake, where two figures stood. One of them was definitely human…a female, while the other looked like a huge winged horse… a Hippogriff perhaps?

To get closer we'd have to risk moving out into the open field to get nearer to the lake. Scorpius, who was next to me, stopped suddenly and sniffed a large feather. He looked at me and I took a deep sniff of it too. We instantly recognized it as the almost-familiar smell we could not place in the forest. Everyone else sniffed it and we gave ourselves the same confused look. I had to stifle a fox-laugh when I saw Scorpius' face. And if you're wondering why it was funny then you've obviously never seen a confused wolf. We crept through the pumpkin patch and into the trees the other side, working our way carefully through them in the long way around the field towards the lake. There we stopped and saw that, about twenty feet away, stood the odd pair. The darkness hid her features but she appeared to have darkish hair.

"How is it that they make this look so easy?" The female asked in hissed exasperation. The auburn hippogriff looked at her and gave her a weird shrug.

Animagi? What the hell?!

The female crouched on the floor and practically screamed in agony as she transformed _painfully _slowly into what appeared to be a light-coloured small doe. Suddenly Albus started making his cool growly noise very loudly and ran towards the pair. We looked at each other and followed whilst the two creatures on the sandy mud by the lake scuttled around in horror as a large lynx, two huge dark wolves and four larger than average foxes thudded towards them. Becky, Dom, Sarah and I tackled the hippogriff to the ground while Scorpius, Albus and James circled the silvery doe. I lay on the hippogriff as he looked up at me with terrified and familiar eyes. There was a rustling noise behind me and I turned to see the girl crouched on the floor in fear, having shifted back out of shock. I barked in shock and popped into human existence, at the same time as everyone else, including the hippogriff, did.

"Rose?!" The hippogriff-boy asked. My shitty human eyes were badly adjusted to see in the dark compared to my fox ones and I squinted down to see-

"Hugo? What the actual fuck?" I asked in horror.

"Get off me, you're half dressed!" He said, equally horrified. I wasn't really – I was in pyjama bottoms and a vest but I got off where I pinned his shoulders to the floor.

"_Lumos,_" Sarah said, illuminating nine bewildered faces in her wandlight.

"Lily?" James said, hoisting the girl to her feet from her terrified position on the floor. She looked up at us all with scared eyes, which turned to annoyance.

"What- why the hell did you attack us?" She demanded at Albus.

"I knew it was you… come on, a silver doe – seriously?" Albus replied, rolling his eyes.

"It was easiest! I could hardly be a fox could I?!" She retorted. James shrugged in agreement.

"Since when are you guys on the practical stage of transformation?" I asked sharply, eyes narrowed.

"We aren't… technically. Lily thought we could practice since we've been learning theory for a year now."

"No wonder it hurts like hell, you pair of idiots shouldn't be attempting the practical side for at least another year. You could seriously hurt yourselves!" I scolded. Lily looked ashamed and Hugo sheepish.

"We know, but our parents were so proud of you. We just wanted to be like you" Lily said, half defensive and half apologetic.

"Well unless 'being like us' means walking around half deer or half hippogriff for the rest of your lives then don't even think about trying it again for a long time. Stick to theory and maybe we can help you out at some point." Dom replied in a fit of responsibility.

"Plus you should be focusing on your studies! You have OWLs this year!" I reprimanded sternly.

"Calm down, _mum_. This is the first time we've tried it. We didn't expect to be caught by the animagi police." Hugo replied dryly.

"Come on. Let's go. This is good actually – you can give the fat lady the password" a shivering James replied, noticing how my face froze at the sound of the word 'mum' addressed to me.

"Great" Lily and Hugo said sarcastically as the rest of us popped into our animal forms with ease and trotted towards the castle.

Thankfully we didn't bump into the (probably) thousand-year-old caretaker (yep, Filch is still here, plodding about) and it was tiring but fun as we padded up the stairs. Albus and Scorpius had parted ways with us at the Great Hall in their human forms since no human was around to let them into their common room while the rest of us led a wincing Lily and a disgruntled Hugo to Gryffindor Tower.

"Oh what the- who _ARE_ those animals? If I see them coming into here again I'll report you two!" The Fat Lady said crossly to Hugo and Lily, as they waved her off.

We padded into the deserted common room silently and Lily and Hugo bade us a grumpy farewell, rubbing their aching joints as they climbed the stairs to their respective bedrooms. It's really weird feeling the soft carpet under my paws. No wonder dogs like it so much. All five of us padded up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. This is how the boys come into our dormitory… shifting at the bottom of the stairs and coming up as animals – the stairs can't stop male animals coming upstairs otherwise any cats we owned would be kept out. We girls shifted back and an exhausted Dom and Becky mumbled a goodnight and crawled into their beds. I got between my sheets and sat up, looking at Sarah and reaching for my book. Sarah was looking at James, who had jumped on her bed and was sat there panting (he was still in his dog form, he's not _that_ mental.) Sarah raised an eyebrow.

"Come on Jay, bugger off" She said. James shifted quickly back.

"Fine," he sighed, knowing this was an argument he'd never win. "Get into bed first though." He said. Sarah clambered in and James tucked her blanket under her, cocooning her in her duvet, right up to her neck.

"Thanks James. Love you" She said casually, yawning. James' face flickered with sadness for a second but he covered it well.

"I love you too." He said wholeheartedly. "Ro, you aren't too old to be tucked in!" He added, looking at me with a maniacal grin.

"Get away from me you freak. Go to bed, I'm tired." I said grumpily. I am not a happy bunny when I am sleepy. James laughed and ducked out of the doorway, sliding with a delighted 'woo' down the stair-chute. Seconds after all the lights went out, I snuggled down to get comfortable and within what felt like an instant I was asleep.

* * *

><p><em>You still daddy's little girl?<em>

The words floated in my head over and over - they would for weeks. Surely he'd understand that mistakes happen… he's my dad… my daddy… he was always there with a hug for me when I fell off my broomstick. He was the one who I ran to when James and Fred tricked me into believing there was a werewolf hiding under my bed. He was the one who told all us kids about how he had loved mum forever and taught us all that love is stronger than anything and that you should never put anything above it. I love my dad, but will he still call me his little girl when he finds out? I love my parents… but now I also love my little baby… it's hard for me to admit – I'm no good with love or emotions – but the tiny thing inside me was my tiny child – my little fox cub. I'm sure my eyes would be filling with tears if I had any left to cry. There comes a point when you really are all cried out – you have nothing left to offer in way of tears… my eyes are constantly dry and my outward presentation composed. I walk around with an expressionless look on my face every day – I smile when I see my friends, I laugh when they tell jokes, I nod along in agreement when they complain about homework loads, but it's all going through the motions. I see Freddie, we have fun, I hang out with the girls, I mess around with James in the common room and study with Albus and avoid being alone with Scorpius. The one thing consuming me is my predicament. I'm going to be a mum – I'm going to make my mother a grandmother for god's sake – Nana Weasley will be a great-grandmother and I will have a baby before Teddy and Victoire even get married!

"Rose, you've been staring at that dead frog for the last twenty minutes" Sarah's voice came to me through the fog that was my thoughts.

I jumped and looked around. I was in Potions, sat around a table which also sat Sarah, Becky, Amy, James and Danny. At the next table over, Chelsea, Scorpius, Freddie, Dom Rich and Albus stood bent over a cauldron which was spewing regular puffs of green smoke.

"Could you put the crushed mint leaves in please Ro?" Becky asked, staring intently at her potions book. Potions was her thing – she loved it and wanted to go into magi-medical pharmaceuticals when she left school.

"Hurry up, I'm getting old here." Amy snapped. She was having an extraordinarily stressy day today, even for her.

"It's a shame you aren't a cheese then – you'd at least be improving with age." Sarah replied dryly, chopping the dried frog's livers and adding them carelessly to the potion. I snorted at Amy's face, which was contorted with anger.

"Shut up will you! Who cares what you think?" Amy spat back.

"Let's have a show of hands, shall we?" I said sarcastically in reply.

"Pack it in will you" James said to us all in general.

"She started it!" Amy said childishly, pointing accusingly at Sarah.

"Come on girls" Chelsea said from behind me, putting an arm around Amy. "Play nicely!" She added with a venomous smile at me. I glared back at her.

I was getting really edgy about these two. Amy was no threat to me really, she was vindictive and a downright bitch, but she wasn't the brains of the operation – that was Chelsea. She was the one who made my alarm bells ring. She was smart enough to do some real damage if she found out about me. For a start, she's incredibly popular, and also her father owns an international paper. She has a lot of pull around here.

"Piss off Chelsea." Becky said in a bored tone.

"Ooh, Blondie is getting mouthy!" Chelsea said, raising her eyebrows at Amy, who made an 'ooh' noise too.

"Chelsea, will you come and help out now?" Albus said with a frown at their new attack on Becky.

Chelsea gave us an acidic smile and flounced off. Thankfully the bell went just as she left.

"Bottle up your potions and get rid of the remainder! You will be marked as a group on this assessment!" Professor Middleton yelled as we rushed about, adding last-minute ingredients. Becky was moving like a whirlwind – hands moving swiftly over the potion so the smoke rose in pretty green puffs. We all smiled at her.

"Well done, Becks! Quick potions work there" Albus said with a kind smile. Becky smiled at him and I could see her cheeks turning pink as she bottled up our potion and flew to the front of the class first, placing our labelled bottle on the professor's desk. She grinned at us as James waved his wand at the remainder of the potion and Becky hurried from the classroom with a smile, not waiting for anyone.

Sarah and I looked at each other with a confused frown, before we grabbed our bags and rushed after her, intrigued.

* * *

><p>"Hey Beck!" Sarah and I called as we hurried down the corridor as it filled with students. We caught up to her as she smiled and eluded us but a figure pushed past us and reached her quicker.<p>

"Becky, what the hell is up with you nowadays? I've barely seen you for weeks." The figure demanded. It was Rich.

Sarah and I stood glancing nervously at each other a few feet away as Freddie came up behind me and put an arm around me while James, Dom and the rest of our gang appeared behind us.

Becky's smile had disappeared as she turned around. Younger students were swarming around us at shoulder level so we could see everything.

"I haven't been avoiding you…" Becky said meekly.

"You obviously have been." Richard replied. "Why? What have I done?" He asked.

We stood awkwardly behind him and Becky's eyes darted over to us as she was looking at him.

"You haven't done anything wrong… it's just hectic at the moment. It's nothing to do with you or anything you've done"

"Then why haven't you talked to me about it? Why don't you talk to me anymore?" Rich asked. "We used to talk all the time about everything… you never kiss me anymore, you never have lunch with me or want to go out into town on the weekend with me… you don't want to hang around with me anymore"

I looked around at my friends; they all mirrored my uncomfortable expression – Sarah looked almost close to tears for some reason. There was nowhere for us to go though – the only direction for escape was past Becky and Richard – we were blocked in.

"Look Rich… I think we need some time apart," Becky said quietly. Richard visibly stiffened.

"What… like a break?" He asked softly. Dom winced from behind me.

"Yes…" Becky said quietly.

Rich said nothing. He stood and stared at her for what felt like minutes on end before he walked quickly past her and out of sight, leaving Becky looking tearful and the rest of us shocked. Becky's eyes darted towards us before she let out a sob, turned and ran down the corridor, Dom close behind.

* * *

><p>"She'll be coming in a bit later on, guys." Dom said heavily, sitting down on James' bed next to me in the boy's dorm.<p>

"Is it me, or is this a total fucking surprise?" Scorpius asked in disbelief from the floor.

"Yeah, did any of you see this coming?!" Dom demanded in shock. I kept silent – there was no point in saying that I'd spoken to her.

We all shook our heads.

"I'll go and see her, run her a bath or something." Sarah said, looking concerned and leaving the room.

"What d'you think is going to happen?" Albus asked, looking worried. Dom shrugged before she got up too, looking equally worried and left to check on her best friend.

"Don't know. But why is Sarah looking so miserable? Anyone would think she'd been dumped. I mean, poor Rich, Becky hasn't treated him very well lately if what he's said is true." Scorpius said.

"I know, it sounds awful. " I mused as James shifted next to me.

Albus looked at his brother quizzically.

"What's that face for, Jay?"

"It's nothing. But I know why it's hit Sarah so hard." James admitted after a second, looking at me as if it were a secret we shared. The others looked at me too, expectantly.

"Don't look at me – I don't know where you're going with this," I said with a shrug.

"Well go on, don't leave us in suspense." Scorpius said. James shifted on his bed.

"What Becky's done to Rich – not showing him any affection or anything – well, I sort of did the same thing to Sarah before we broke up."

We all sat in silence… until now we'd seen James as the victim in the break up.

"What the hell do you mean?" I asked sharply while Albus and Scorpius looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

"Harsh." Albus said to his brother.

"Why'd you do that? You're mad about her, and she was mad about you!" Scorpius said as if he were talking to someone very stupid.

"I thought she'd call my bluff, but Rose said she was enjoying attention from elsewhere," James replied sheepishly.

"Buh!" I spluttered, "I said no such thing! All I said was that in the last month of the relationship she was hanging out with Danny and he was treating her nicely and stuff."

"Yeah, well I realised she wasn't going to call me up on it but it was too late. I was a fucking idiot"

"You're telling us! You are a moron… you are _king_ of the morons! All the other morons look up to you for guidance in how to be bigger morons!" I said in horror.

"All along we were thinking she dumped you because she wasn't interested in you any more, when really you were treating her like crap just because you wanted to know if she'd notice and confront you about it?! You broke her heart!" I added, getting angry.

"God, I used to feel sorry for you for losing her – you're a dick. You brought it upon yourself, mate." Scorpius said, shaking his head in pity.

"All right, calm down. Don't you think I know that? I still loved her, I don't know why I did it, I just wanted to see if she'd care if I pretended to stop caring" James said, having the good grace to look thoroughly ashamed of himself.

"Twat," Albus muttered, shaking his head.

"It doesn't change anything about how I feel about her." James said, holding his hands up. "It's not like any of you are perfect – we all make mistakes" he said, looking sad.

"Well… it's in the past…" I sighed.

"I treated her like a goddess until then"

"Making it worse, mate." Albus said with a half-smile, shaking his head.

Suddenly, the girl herself appeared in the doorway.

"She's downstairs in the common room, you want to come and see her?" Sarah said, popping her head around the door with a bright smile on her face.

I looked at her warm smile in a new light – all the while she let me comfort James instead of crying out to me that she was the one left heartbroken because her boyfriend had seemingly fallen out of love with her. And instead of asking her how she felt, I assumed James had been the victim. Then guilt weighed on my stomach like an anvil, aching. I had no idea that she was the one irrevocably broken.

Just like me.

"Yeah, we'll be down now" I said, smiling at her, though I wanted to cry. She nodded and disappeared. We all got up and I smoothed James' sheets.

"You gave that up" Scorpius said, jerking his thumb towards the door Sarah had just disappeared through and shaking his head as if James was mad.

"Piss off." James said, trying to sound grumpy but just looking sad.

My cousin is _officially_ a fucking idiot.

* * *

><p>"I'm ok, really. It had to happen sometime, better now than during exams." Becky said as I shoved Honeydukes chocolate into my gob.<p>

"How long have you been on the rocks?" Al asked, nibbling a bit of fudge.

One of us girls always has emergency period-pain sweeties and chocolate squirreled away for situations such as this. James usually snaffles some firewhiskey away and we've all got a small glass of it, although mine is purely ornamental for obvious reasons.

"Don't know. I just feel like we've had a good run but neither of us is happy – we've been together for four years… we've been together out of convenience recently." Becky replied honestly.

"Fair shout." Dom shrugged.

"As long as you're ok," Sarah said, patting her arm with a smile.

"Course, I'll be fine. I've got you lot!" Becky said with a small smile and accepting James' offered high-five.

"We're pretty cool aren't we" Dom said, with her mouth full of toffee. I nodded.

"I'll pretend to drink to that" I said, raising my glass and patting my stomach at the same time.

"To being great" Sarah laughed, raising her glass to click against mine.

"To friendship" Becky smiled softly, raising hers too.

"And love" Scorpius said, looking surprised at himself as he clinked our glasses.

"To being a bunch of soppy girls," James said as he raised his own large glass, wiping a pretend tear away. We all grinned at each other and everyone drank while I took a hearty swig of the bottle of water I've taken to carrying around with me.

No matter what happens, I suppose I have this bunch of freaks to call my own.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

><p><em>Sorry it's been a few days longer than usual, guys! Please R &amp; R as ever, and I will enjoy reading them as always :D To keep you lot interested, <em>_**someone else finds out**__ in the next chapter… in a less than ideal way! Care to place your bets on who and how? :P _

_Please review! ;)_

_-Sarita x_


	22. Chapter 21: Confessions

**Chapter 21: Confessions**

"_Dear Nana, _

_Thanks for the cakes, we all loved them. I have spoken to my friends and all of them are free over the Christmas holidays to come over – so that's Sarah, Becky and Scorpius. Albus is glad that granddad enjoyed his essay – he got full marks for it._

_See you soon,_

_Love, Rose xxxxxxx"_

I put my quill down and fastened my letter to the nearest owl. I was up in the Owlery, having remembered that I hadn't yet replied to any of my letters. The owl took flight and I sat down on a feather-covered bench and got out the crumpled letter from Aunt Ginny so I could write a response.

"_Auntie Ginny,_

_Oh god, I hope you're joking about granddad having something planned for us over the holidays. I will prepare for it by bringing home antidotes to every known poison and a leaflet on how to magic someone back to consciousness after being electrocuted. I have sent nana my list of friends for Christmas – all the usual suspects: Scorpius, Sarah and Becky. I'm looking forward to coming back – only a week now and we'll all be home!_

_Love you, see you next week,_

_Ro xxxxxxx"_

I fastened it to the closest, disgruntled owl and got out my father's letter. There was no way I could even find the words to reply to it… I'd just have to leave it until I either found the words or went home for Christmas. I tucked the letters back inside my shirt and brushed the feathers off my bum when I stood up. The morning sickness was lessening – I was finding it easier to eat my usual weird mix of food, but being up this high in the Owlery was making my stomach do flips. Blergh, I don't like heights, despite being a Quidditch player. I carefully stepped down the stairs and found myself inside again walking along the corridor back towards my dorm. It was the weekend, and there was nothing to do. Near the end of the term the professors get bored with lessons and don't bother setting any homework unless it's for over the holidays. Speaking of which, I have an absolute mountain of revision I'd better crack on with…

"Hello gorgeous. Fancy seeing you here!" Freddie said from behind me. I snapped out of my thoughts as I turned around with a smile just for him.

"Hello" I smiled, greeting him with a kiss.

"You are looking particularly lovely this morning, if I may say so."

"You may" I said with a grin, continuing to walk with his arm around me.

"Apart from the bird shit on your jeans" He shrugged, pointing at my bum.

"Oh great," I said, turning to see it.

"What are you up to today then?" He asked with a laugh at me.

"You mean after changing my jeans? Sarah is taking me shopping. I've put on a bit of weight so I need some new clothes." I said uncomfortably.

"You look great to me" Freddie said loyally as we reached the fourth floor.

"Shh, you" I said, half-smiling. We were clambering the steps towards my common room by this point.

"Why are you coming this far up then?" I asked quizzically. It was a long way to come up just to walk me to my room.

"Albus said he'd meet me here so we could revise Muggle Studies together. I've been trying to find Scorpius so I could revise with him for some potions work but he never seems to be around – maybe he's avoiding me!" He joked with a grin as we reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. I laughed nervously as the portrait hole opened and Albus stepped out. Sarah was stood behind him.

"I was just going to come and look for you!" She scolded. "We're going to be late." She added, pulling me through without a chance to kiss Freddie goodbye.

He waved sweetly and blew me a kiss as the portrait swung shut and Sarah chivvied me upstairs to change my jeans. It would be easier to just magically remove the bird crap, but I was pretty sure the ones I was wearing were so tight that they were cutting off the circulation to my feet… which is not the look I was going for.

It seems that none of my clothes fit fat old me anymore. Greeeaaat.

* * *

><p>"What's wrong with those?" Sarah asked as I came out of the changing room for the twentieth time, holding a pair of jeans over my arm.<p>

"They're dreadful. They make me look fat." I grumbled, ignoring the dirty look I got from the manageress who was hovering around, and her young sales assistant, who was gaping between Sarah and me, star-struck.

"You're _going _to be fat" Sarah said honestly.

"Ouch" I said half-heartedly, taking the next black pair from her outstretched hands.

"It's true" She said with raised eyebrows in a fit of bluntness that would give Dom a run for her money.

"I know, but we aren't thinking about that now, are we" I said through gritted teeth, looking pointedly at the manageress, who was disappearing through the curtains into the back room.

"Just try those on. We can always put a shrinking charm on your arse, Ro" Sarah replied, sticking her tongue out at me to show she was joking.

"We don't want that! How would she cushion herself when she fell down the stairs drunk next New Years Eve party?" A voice said from behind us.

I peeped through the curtain and Sarah spun around to see Teddy Lupin stood in front of us, a carrier bag in hand. Today he was his usual 6 foot three, but his hair was a gorgeous, shiny jet black and his eyes a brilliant turquoise. They twinkled as he smiled at Sarah.

"You're looking beautiful as ever, Sare." He said with his trademark soft and dreamy smile. She was already starting to turn pink.

"Ha ha. Black hair is a bit of a change for you Teddy" She replied with a question in her voice.

"Yeah, well Uncle Harry came into the pub earlier to see Ron and his hair was really cool-looking. It just changed by itself really." He shrugged, still smiling with his hands in his pockets.

I drew the curtains from around me and stepped out wearing the kick-flare black jeans. They had a little jewel pattern over the back pocket and were long enough for my longer-than-average legs. I had put my boots back on underneath and was pulling the bottom of my top down at the back as I stepped out, scowling.

"Careful with that frown, Rosie. I might just hex it so you stay that way!" Teddy teased, hugging me.

"You like them?" Sarah asked, relieved.

"Yeah, actually - they don't make my arse look like it's capable of eclipsing the sun anymore." I shrugged, drawing a laugh from Teddy and a grin from Sarah.

"Although I'm not happy abut going up a size. I haven't been a size 14-16 since I went on my post-breakup ice cream diet." I sighed. Teddy looked me up and down.

"They look a bit loose on you actually; you could still fit into a twelve, surely?" He asked. Sarah and I glanced at each other.

"I like to have a bit of give in them. Christmas is coming up after all." I shrugged it off, patting my belly as if that explained it. We walked towards the till and the sales assistant leapt eagerly to serve us.

"Can I wear these out?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Of course, Miss Weasley." She stammered. I smiled at her kindly as she waved her wand to give me a receipt.

"Thanks." I said as I paid her and we left. We stood outside for a minute.

"I'd better be getting back to the pub; I only had half an hour to buy Victoire's socks." He rolled his eyes. "That girl has such a fluffy-sock collection we're going to need a whole sock room." He chuckled and hugged us both.

"See you" Sarah called.

"Say hi to dad when you next see him" I said, hearing the sadness in my voice but hoping he couldn't. He smiled and nodded as he wandered back.

"Come on, let's get you back" Sarah said, wrapping her scarf around her neck and looping her arm in mine as we made our way back up to the castle.

* * *

><p>"I barely see you nowadays, gorgeous," Freddie mock-complained at dinner later that night. Scorpius looked up from where he sat opposite us on Slytherin table, looking disgusted.<p>

It was just the three of us there, nobody was even sat anywhere near us. They were huddled together in corners near the open fires, some even sitting on the floor to get closer. Most people had left as we had been late for dinner.

"You've been ill lately, haven't you, Ro" Scorpius said meaningfully, glaring at me. Freddie looked up.

"Is that why you were sick the other morning?" He asked, pushing some hair out of my face and looking concerned. I picked at my food, not looking at anyone.

"Yeah, it's just a bug that's going around." I said, in a tone that told Scorpius to shut his bloody mouth.

"The kind of bug that lasts for a long time and then puts you in hospital?" Scorpius asked faux-innocently, buttering a roll and batting his eyelashes at me. My head snapped up and I looked at him, open-mouthed.

"What?" Freddie asked, frowning. "What are you on about?" He asked Scorpius, eyes narrowed. I locked eyes with wolf-boy, glaring fiercely.

"One word mate – congratulations." Scorpius said, standing up and picking up his plate, stalking across the hall to the Gryffindor table, where he sat down next to Albus and didn't speak to anyone. We both watched him go as if in slow motion and then Freddie turned to me, looking horrified.

"Rose… Does he mean what I _think_ he means? Being sick in the morning…ending up in hospital… congratulating me… are we… I mean…are you… pr-" He said in a hushed voice, his eyes darting between mine.

I grabbed his arm before he could choke out that damning word and practically dragged him from the hall. By the time I had found an abandoned room to lock us in and protect from eavesdroppers, tears were running down my cheeks in a torrent. Freddie clutched me to his chest.

"It's too early to know… we only had sex again like, last week" He stuttered, holding me at arms length and wiping my tears. I looked up at him, my teeth chattering from all the emotion. He studied my expression, looking shell-shocked.

"Unless you're further along than that… unless it's not mine…" He said, taking a step away from me and looking at me questioningly.

I let out a heart-ripping sob and felt the cold stone on my skin as I fell to my knees. Freddie sat down opposite me, cross-legged and scraped the hair from my eyes.

"Whose is it then?" He asked gently, pulling a hankie out of his trousers and dabbing at my tears. I looked at him, sat mere inches from me.

"I can't tell you… I haven't told him yet." I whispered. He nodded.

"You are being very calm about this…" I questioned. He turned the hankie over to get a dry patch to wipe my mascara-stained tears with.

"My sister had a baby young, remember. You need someone to be calm for you."

"Aren't you angry?" I hiccupped, the tears slowing.

"Well, you didn't cheat on me… we weren't together… I've got no reason to be angry." He shrugged sensibly.

"Aren't you upset?" I asked.

"Ro…" He took my chin gently and I looked up at him. "I love you. You need someone here for you. I am your man – I am going to look after you."

I looked at him, stunned, and then promptly burst into tears again.

"Why are you so good to me?" I sobbed. He chuckled breathily.

"Because you're my Rosiekins and I love you. I understand that the father situation will be complicated, but we don't have to talk about the future right now. All you need to know is that I'm here for you right now." He said bravely.

God, he's so perfect. Why couldn't he be the father… he's my rock.

"Thank you." I said, wiping my tears in shock at his cool reaction.

"Now, do you want me to help you to your dorm? Because I think I need an early night" He said. I looked at him. He looked drained by the information. I shook my head and after he helped me to my feet, he kissed me on the forehead and left.

* * *

><p>"Slytherins are fucked in the head." James declared when I told him and the girls later that night.<p>

"What the hell did Scorpius shout his mouth off for? What a dick move!" Dom said, shocked.

"He's a grumpy bastard." Becky mused.

"Who knows why he did it." Sarah shrugged, looking at James as if the two of them had some sort of idea. I ignored it. I'd know if they knew – they'd tell me.

"Don't say anything to him about this. I want to talk to him first." I implored of the four of them.

"Get a move on then. Albus is on his way up here now. Scorpius'll be wondering why he hasn't been invited along up here too if you don't go and see him." James said wisely.

"Alright." I said with a hard look in my eyes as I got up from the floor and waved at them.

I stomped determinedly down the hundreds of steps from my common room to his and was momentarily surprised when I found him sat, leaning against a glossy black pillar outside the common room portrait. He looked up at me when he saw me and for a second before he disguised his expression, he looked intensely upset. It didn't stop me grabbing him roughly and dragging him into the closest room before setting up the protective wards and rounding on him like a starved lioness.

"What… the… _fuck_ is wrong with you?!" I demanded in a screech. He leaned against a desk and surveyed me through wary blue eyes.

"We're meant to be fucking _mates_!" I yelled, glad no-one could possibly hear us through the sheer amount of spells I had cast.

"Not to you Rose, I'm just a one-time fuck buddy to you." He shot back acidly.

"And you're taking that out on him?" I asked, throwing my arms up.

"No, on you. You didn't even have the decency to tell me you were planning on getting back together with _him_!" He spat, his eyes glittering.

"What difference would it have made? Why do you care who I'm with?!" I asked, and the second I did I wish I could have taken it back. I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood.

"You fucking know why, Rose. You _fucking know_!" He yelled, sweeping some glass jars from a nearby table and running his hands through his hair. I'd never seen him this angry. I bit my lip.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly, sitting on a nearby desk, not realising I had got to my feet.

"Yeah, well" Scorpius growled, my apology having taken most of the wind out of his sails.

"I don't want to talk about why anymore. It's not… I just can't right now, alright?" He snapped defensively, as if I'd held him at wand-point demanding the truth.

"I don't either." I said, looking down, still scowling.

"He deserved to know that he was going to be a father." Scorpius said after a moment of silence. "If it was me, I'd want the truth." He added unwittingly. I bit back on the tears that were about to waterfall down my cheeks.

"I just wasn't ready. I'm still not. It wasn't fair for you to take that decision out of my hands." I said, looking up at him.

"All right… I know I was a total twat. There aren't words to describe how much of a prick I was." Scorpius admitted, not looking at me.

"I need you now, Scorpius." I confessed. My heart had decided to take the lead on this one without running it past my brain. "I need you more than anyone else in the whole world. If I don't have you… I don't… I don't…" I stammered, tears falling down my face as my voice got higher and higher with the futile struggle to keep them in.

"I – don't have –_anyone_ – without you," I sobbed, gasping for breath. Scorpius looked positively alarmed and crossed the room swiftly to take me into his arms like he always used to.

"I am still here. I've always been here. Shh… dry your eyes… I won't do anything like that ever again. I let whatever I was feeling go to my head. Come on, give us a smile" Scorpius said, tilting my chin up to look at him as he pulled me onto his lap. I sniffed and looked up to see his eyebrows pulled upwards pleadingly.

"Forgive me?" He asked quietly.

"Don't do anything like that ever again, Scor" I sniffed, still managing to sound stern, burying my head into his chest. I felt his hands in my hair, stroking the wavelets down my back.

"I promise I won't. Shh Ro-Ro. You've got me. You've always had me… you'll always _have_ me." He said soothingly, rocking me slightly. I sobbed my last few tears out and looked up at him eventually.

"I _need_ you." I blurted.

"Come here." He replied, wrapping his arms around me. I didn't know which side to put my head on for this hug and neither did he. We bobbed around awkwardly like pigeons for a second, and then…

…And then he kissed me.

* * *

><p>DUN DUN DUNNNNN! Well done to everyone who guessed who would find out! Hope this keeps you happy for a while :P Review! :)<p>

_-Sarita x_


	23. Chapter 22: Home, Sweet Home

**Chapter 22: Home, Sweet Home**

James

"He's mad about her, Jay. He's loved her since birth or some shit. You have no idea how upset he is that she's apparently having his baby. To him, having a guy's baby is the highest honour a woman can bestow upon a man. He's traditional like that." My brother confessed as we sat together in a deep corner of the library.

I imagined how I'd feel is Sarah were to have Danny's baby and felt sick to my stomach, my blood running cold and my temper high.

"I get it. But why would he fuck her over like that?" I asked, casually making paper aeroplanes from an exercise book I was supposed to be revising from.

"He's scared that she's a lost cause when it comes to Freddie – he thinks they're going to get married and have more babies. He's kicking himself because he's missed his chance in his mind; he's not handling it very well. He's frightened that she's sleeping with him again too." Albus said wisely.

I shook my head, irritated with his insight. Scorpius and I are close, but we don't have deep meaningful conversations about our complicated love-lives. He had something to worry about though – the Rose/Freddie ship had sailed.

"Surely he knows Rose is pretty much in love with him too?" I said, referring to Scorpius.

"She is?" Albus asked, eyebrow raised.

Hmm… Perhaps he isn't as enlightened to Rose's feelings as I am.

"I think so. She was so upset when he stormed off the night she told everyone. She was hiding it well but you know what she's like." I nodded sagely.

"Well there we go then. Now all that has to happen is for her to tell Scorpius that the baby is his and they will be together for ever and ever amen." Albus said in a carefree way which was unlike him.

"Are you alright mate?" I asked.

"Yeah. Just worrying about Becky. Since the break-up she hasn't been quite right. All she wants to do is revise potions with me in here."

"That a problem?"

"No, it's just not healthy if she's burying her feelings." Albus replied with a frown.

She's not burying her feelings. I can see Becky's been over Rich for a long time, and has been holding a candle for my little brother for even longer. But it's not my secret to tell.

I am surprising myself with my insight into the womenfolk of our group – I know so much about women!

* * *

><p><span>Sarah<span>

James knows absolutely nothing about women. I was smacked in the face with this realisation late that night when just Rose and I were still up in the common room.

"You alright fatty?" He said to Rose, shaking his thick hair out of his beautiful eyes and plopping down next to me, muscley bicep against my arm. He's so pretty.

_Shut- up Sarah_ I tell myself sternly.

"Charming," Rose said dryly, not looking up from her work.

She hasn't been herself lately – it's the Scorpius/Freddie fiasco I should think. I hope Scorpius has the guts to tell her how he feels soon. If he leaves it much later it'll only get worse. I'll get the truth out of her soon enough.

"What about you? Not doing any work I see, you little rebel." James said to me, poking me in the ribs good-naturedly and winking.

"I've finished all my work for before Christmas." I said brightly.

"And Rose hasn't? What's that sound…?" James cupped his hand around his ear, "Oh, its hell freezing over!"

"I've finished mine. I'm doing Dom's actually." Rose replied distractedly, immersed in the papers.

"Fancy doing mine?" James asked jokingly. I hit him on the arm as Rose looked as if she were considering it.

"Rose what is wrong with you? You never let James skive off from doing his coursework!" I exclaimed. Rose looked uncomfortable then looked up, shuffling her papers to the side and looking between us.

"I think I have to break up with Freddie." She admitted, biting her lip.

"Why? I mean, I know he's not the baby-daddy but doesn't mean you don't love him." James said. I nodded slowly.

"I can't ruin two men's lives. Freddie playing step-dad to Scorpius' child while the man himself is left being a sidelined father? I don't think so." Rose sighed.

"Do you love Freddie?" I asked. It was the main question.

"Not like I used to." Rose replied honestly, looking guilty.

"I totally understand," I shrugged, patting her hand and not noticing the pain in James' eyes. "At least sleep on it," I suggested. She nodded and piled Dom's homework on the arm of the chair. She yawned.

"Go to bed." I said. "Come on, we're going home tomorrow and I'm willing to put money on the fact that James hasn't even _begun_ packing." I said, looking at him. His eye-roll was proof enough that I was right.

I looped my arm around Rose and walked around the sofa. As I passed James, I leant down and dropped a kiss on his head out of habit, squeezing his shoulder and inhaling his unmistakable scent as I led Rose up to our warm beds.

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

The next morning I was feeling unsure of my decision not to be with Freddie. I know I'm carrying another man's baby but what if I'm destined to be with him, what if we're meant to be? All this mental crap ran through my head as I ate what little breakfast I could next to him at Gryffindor table. He seemed just as put-off his food as me and eventually he dropped his toast and turned to me.

"Rose I don't want to do this. But I can't take it, I just can't." Freddie blurted, sounding desperate. I looked at him quizzically.

"Scorpius is making life hell in the common room. He just stares at me smugly that he knew before I did."

"Ignore him; he's got nothing else to do. What's the problem?" I said, placing my knife and fork in the centre of the plate.

"You're pregnant. And it's…not mine." He stated, his voice faltering with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

"Yes..." I said with my eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I know it's Scorpius' baby." He said, looking at me for a reaction. I very nearly spat out my pumpkin juice in horror. We were at the _breakfast table_ for god's sake! People could hear if he raised his voice even a little bit!

I didn't ask how he knew, he knows me; it must be so obvious to him the way Scorpius and me aren't quite as close as before.

"I know it's his. He obviously loves you Rose. I don't want to be in the middle of this." He said, shaking his head.

"Rosie, I love you so much. But I can't go on like this. It'll kill me if I do." He said, facing me and taking both my hands. Oh God, what's going to happen?

"Go on…" I prompted; half of me not wanting to know and the other dying to hear what was so hard for him to say.

"I can be with you… _if _you stop seeing Scorpius. It's me or him, I'm sorry Ro." He said apologetically.

I looked at him, mouth slack at what he'd just said. Of all the things, I didn't expect that. So I stood up and, ignoring the calls of my friends and family, marched from the hall.

"Rose!" Freddie called, meeting me by the steps. Nobody was around; they were either catching a lie-in or eating. I stopped on the first step and came to face him.

"Look, I'm sorry! But what's it to be?" He asked cautiously.

"How can you ask that of me?!" I asked, still horrified. "He's one of my best friends! And the father!" I added in a hiss. Freddie looked at me searchingly.

"You love him too, don't you?" He asked quietly.

I heard the door of the dungeons and footsteps; probably a little first year rushing to catch the end of breakfast. I didn't answer- my mouth was open again in shock, I kept closing it and opening it again like a goldfish.

"It's him, isn't it Rosie? The one you think about when we're together, I can see it in your eyes." He asked, advancing towards me with a strange look in his eyes. My silence broke as hot anger washed over me at how he could work up the nerve to ask me to break contact with one of my best and oldest friends.

"Yes, okay? Of course it's Scorpius, It's _ALWAYS _been Scorpius!" I screeched after finally finding my voice. I saw something in the corner of my eye and Freddie naturally followed my gaze when I looked across the entrance hall to see Scorpius Malfoy himself staring straight back at me.

Oh _shit._

* * *

><p>"Well at least you don't have to worry about catching Freddie in the middle of it. He kind of made your decision for you…" Sarah mused, trying to put a good spin on it as we did the rest of our packing for catching the train in about an hour.<p>

After Scorpius had overheard me, he cocked his head and frowned questioningly, but carried on into the Great Hall all the same, as if it was normal for me to psychotically shout his name in the Entrance Hall. I had run full-pelt up the stairs though, Freddie close behind me.

"What did he say to you after Scorpius saw you? Freddie I mean." Sarah asked, accio-ing her toothpaste from our en suite.

"He told me that he would never ever tell a soul about my pregnancy. He said he'd always love me but that it wasn't right to be with me anymore. He's right." I said with a half-shrug and a grimace, feeling strangely empty about the end of a relationship with a boy I used to be mad about.

"It'll be okay, Ro" Sarah said encouragingly, nodding and smiling gently.

"I know, I feel okay now really. Except about Scorpius." I said, grimacing.

"Don't worry. We only have to spend Christmas with him." Sarah said with a cheeky grin.

I rolled my eyes, although I knew Scorpius wouldn't ask what I had meant when I was shouting his name across the hall. He was too reserved to bluntly ask things like that.

"When are we all coming over by the way?" She added.

"Sunday. You've got two days of relief from the drama and then we're all off to the Burrow because Granddad has a special treat for us all this holiday apparently."

"Oh dear. I'll bring my dragon-burn cream and venom antidote." She said, grimacing herself now.

"It won't be _exactly_ like granddad's last 'special treat'"

"Better safe than sorry."

I silently agreed, worrying about what my mad old granddad had in store for us.

"Come on you two! We're all ready!" Becky shouted up the stairs. I grabbed my beauty case and levitated my suitcase down the stairs after Sarah.

"Finally." Dom said exaggeratedly, poking her tongue out.

"Alright tubby?" James asked with his crooked cat-grin.

"Yes thanks twat-bag" I replied dryly, looking at all of them.

"Let's go home" Becky said with a smile as we depart to catch the train.

* * *

><p>There wasn't enough room in the carriages for all of the gang by the time we fought our way on, so Lily, Albus, Becky, Sarah, two of Lily's friends and Danny sat together in one carriage while James, Scorpius, Amy, Chelsea and Dom (lucky her) were cooped up with Hugo and his friends.<p>

I was really dreading seeing my parents and the rest of my family, and so naturally the time flew by until we pulled up to the station and began filing off the train, cases in hand. The first person I saw was Sarah's mother, Cassandra, who was stood by a pillar with Sarah's little sister, smiling at Sarah, her youngest daughter stood beside her in hand. She was beautiful – just like an older Sarah. Her hair was deep black and almost glittery with shine and her eyes were blue, her lashes thick and black. She was well-dressed too – her robes were a black floaty material with purple satin trim and she wore 2 inch heels, not that she needed them at her height of five foot 10. Sarah rushed towards them and picked her little sister up, giving her a squeeze before turning to her mother with outstretched arms.

"Ro!" A voice called.

I turned and saw my parents stood next to Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. Mum's dark curly hair was to her shoulder blades and sticking out at odd angles from the amount of times she exasperatedly flicks it out of her face when she's reading or writing. Which is a lot. Dad waved at me with a massive grin. His hair is thick and red as ever but receding and there are slight flecks of grey above his ears, just like Harry's. I dragged my cases over and sank into my mother's familiar hug, smelling the scent of a wood burner on her clothes. I put my cases down and felt myself being passed around by my family members, sinking into more hugs, first dad, then Ginny and Harry, and then Bill and Fleur and my grandparents too. Granddad was busy talking excitedly to Becky's dad, who was stood nearby. Becky's parents are muggles and it seems Granddad never grew out of accosting them in public about their lifestyles.

Bless him.

The whole greeting process takes a really long time, with the parents asking all of us about this and that…

Have you been eating properly… have you stolen anything from school this term, James? … Have you been looking after the younger ones… I hope you aren't abusing your privileges as an older student… Why are you carrying half a gargoyle, James… etc.

James, who was stood next to me, had his eyes fixed unwaveringly on Sarah and her family, as Sarah clutched a nervous Danny's hand and introduced him to her mother, who in turn gives him a beautiful smile and shakes his other hand. Scorpius and his parents stand a few feet away, Draco and Astoria deep in enthusiastic conversation with my mother, while my father chats away to Uncle Bill, apparently showing him what seems to be an old wizard card. Lily is over with Luna and Rolf, who seem to be showing her the ancient and weird purple hoof of some poor creature. Suddenly Sarah is waving us over and James grabbed my hand and dragged me roughly through the throng of quickly dispersing people.

"Oh it's so nice to see you James!" Cassandra said wholeheartedly, giving him a motherly hug.

"You too!" He said as he grinned and pulled a face at Sarah's little sister before he picked her up and spun her around while she giggled. Danny looked awkward and slightly put-out until an older boy who could only be his brother tapped him on the shoulder.

"Is this the missus?" He asked, gesturing to Sarah who smiled and held out her hand in greeting.

"Sarah" She offered as Danny's older brother looked star-struck and took her hand, kissing it.

"Well we'd better be off." Danny said through gritted teeth to his brother, who looked as if he was about to drool. "See you in two weeks Sare. Love you gorgeous" He said, kissing her tenderly and winking before he dragged his mesmerised brother away.

Suddenly Cassandra grabbed me and pulled me into a hug too.

"Sorry Rose I didn't see you stood behind James!" She held me at arms length. "You look so healthy sweetheart!" I grinned and thanked her before Sarah spun me around for a hug.

"We're off, dad's just messaged mum saying he's home so we're going to make a move. See you in a few days!" She said, kissing my cheeks and turning to James, who she bear-hugged.

"Can't wait." James said with a lopsided grin, brushing the hair out of her eyes and kissing her on the nose before turning away. We waved them off and walked back to our own mental family, arm in arm.

* * *

><p>We finally got our parents to stop talking to everyone they'd ever known and our whole family soon found ourselves congregated at the Burrow in front of a roaring fire, each with a steaming cup of tea.<p>

"Look what Becky's dad gave me!" Granddad said excitedly from his chair, holding up a roll of what appeared to be blue pipe tape.

"That's nice dad, what are you going to do with it?" Aunt Ginny asked quizzically looking between him and his newest toy.

"Probably tape up my VCR player!" Granddad replied.

"That'll be good." Uncle Harry said.

"Yep. You won't get electrocuted at all granddad!" James said cheerfully, looking alarmed. I stifled a laugh and Dom and I deliberately avoided each other's gaze for fear of a laughing fit.

"Who wants more tea?" Nana asked, topping up my mother's drink and making her way around the room, fussing over each of us like the grandmother hen she is.

Our parents continued chatting for what seemed to be an eternity but I stayed silent on the floor by the fire, stroking my stomach absently and wondering what the hell I was going to do from here. I haven't planned this at all. How am I going to avoid alcohol at Christmas and New Years Eve when my entire family knows how much I like my drink? Also, what will granddad's 'special treat' be and will it mean revealing myself in some way before I'm ready?

"Rose? Come on babs, we're going home now," Dad's voice came to me as he helped me to my feet.

I kissed my family goodbye and managed a grimace at James before we flooed home. Mum levitated our cases upstairs and draped her favourite cloak over the back of the nearest dining chair and set about on dinner, firing questions to Hugo and me over her shoulder while dad grabbed a bottle of wine from the pantry and passed around small glasses for us.

"No thanks" I said hurriedly pushing my hand over the glass before dad could pour me any.

"Did you hear that Hermione? Our daughter just refused alcohol for the first time in her life! Are you ill Ro?" Dad laughed, bypassing me and giving Hugo a glass. He accepted gratefully and carried on chattering away to mum.

The two of them have the same bond that dad and I share – they get on because they are so similar. Weird actually for a teenage boy to actually want to know his parents, especially his mother, who he's supposed to think is the most uncool person on the planet, but Hugo's always been a bit of a mummy's boy, which is a running joke between dad and I, much to my brother's annoyance.

"I've been training up loads dad, Rose has seen me a few times after she finishes practice and James has been giving me one-on-one lessons!" Hugo said, directing his conversation to dad while mum hummed tunefully and pottered around adding various herbs to the stew she had cooking in a pot on top of the stove.

"Well done mate, you think you'll be on the team next year then?" Dad asked, knowing Hugo would never be on the team.

He's awful – really, really awful. Dad knows it, Hugo knows it, everyone knows it. It's taken him this long to be able to get onto a broomstick without puking because of his fear of heights. Dad just likes to take pride in Hugo's ability to do something he can understand. He gets brilliant grades, but that doesn't mean as much to dad as it does to mum because like most wizard fathers, quidditch is the main passion.

"I think I still need a bit more training. It's a shame I didn't get on this year because I could have played with Ro and James, and next year most of the team will have left. It was my last chance to be on the team under James as captain." He shrugged. I felt a twinge of guilt – I was so preoccupied that day I don't even remember Hugo's tryout. I should have been a better sister and pushed James to let him on – James would have as well, he's a big softie and doesn't have the heart to tell Hugo he's crap. I can actually feel tears prickling at the backs of my eyes at this thought – proof of how my hormones are playing up combined with lack of sleep and a dangerous level of stress to cope with.

"I'm not hungry mum, I don't feel well, I'm going to go to bed," I said suddenly, standing up and hearing the telltale quiver in my voice. Before anyone can stop me, I'm out of the door and running upstairs to my dark room, tears falling down my cheeks.

* * *

><p>I don't even hear mum come in, and I jump when I feel her warm, soft fingers stroking my hair. I roll over and face her and she places the bowl of beef stew on my bedside table. I realise how hungry I am as she sits beside me on my bed and continues to stroke my head as I wolf down the delicious meal.<p>

"I heard about you and Freddie, sweetheart." Mum sighs, cocking her head to one side and taking my now cleared bowl from me. I sniff in response… she thinks it's that I'm upset about.

"It's ok to be sad, Rosie. Breaking up is the worst feeling in the world when you're young… and when you're older too. But you're a beautiful, smart young woman and you won't be alone for long." My mother smiles, still stroking my hair soothingly.

I want to talk to her, tell her everything, the pregnancy, the complicated feelings for Scorpius, the heartache that has come from all the relationships between everyone…everything.

"Mum, would you ever disown me?" I ask with a tremor in my voice. Mum stops stroking me suddenly.

"Rose, you're my baby, you'll always be my baby. It wouldn't matter if you killed half the wizarding world and made seven horcruxes, you would still be my baby and I would still love you. Although I think we'd have to have a chat about anger management." Mum said with a slight laugh, hugging me to her and letting my tears fall upon her apron.

"Come on love, it's ok. I'm here." She said while I sobbed continuously.

"Tell you what, come and help me with this fruitcake. I got the recipe from your nana and your dad has been nagging me to make it for weeks. At least I'll have a witness when I burn down the kitchen." Mum takes my hand and gently pulls me out of bed while I start to smile.

"Granddad's surprise, will it be like the time James and I made chocolate ice cream?" I asked as we stepped out of my room

"You mean when you mixed mud with water and froze it and then convinced your father to eat some?"

"That's the time, yes."

"Perhaps." Mum shrugs, giving me a squeeze and a smile.

Sometimes it's just nice to be home.

* * *

><p>Sorry it took so long, I tweaked it a bit again! I know not much happened, but I just wanted to reacquaint everyone with some of the characters e.g. Arthur Weasley, Hermione, Ron and Hugo just to touch base :) Review :)<br>-Sarita x


	24. Chapter 23: Back To The Burrow

**Chapter 23: Back to the Burrow**

"HUGO!" Mum bellowed up the stairs for the fifth time.

"All right, all right!" Came a voice from the depths of his bedroom or 'pit' as I fondly call it.

Dad sighed, his case levitating behind him and helpfully bumping into his head every few seconds to remind him we were late.

"Come on Hugo, we want to get there _in time_ for Christmas!" I said irritably. Hugo appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Christmas is a week today, Rose. It wouldn't even take that long for dad to _drive_ us there," Hugo snapped back, stomping down the stairs.

"There's nothing wrong with your father keeping to the speed limit Hugo!" Mum reproached as she fussed over him, tucking his collar down at the back. Dad rolled his eyes, batting away his suitcase.

"18th of December, Off to The Burrow for Christmas!" A squeaky voice chirruped delightedly from the kitchen as we walked towards it.

Mum smiled happily and waved her wand at her magical talking diary – Hugo thought it would be a good present for last Christmas, apparently mum has had to rescue it from the fireplace at least three times, not that dad has a clue why…

"Rose, you first", Dad said, pushing me unceremoniously into the fireplace and throwing floo powder over me. I whirled into existence to see James in a very festive jumper and a pair of felt reindeer ears on his head waiting in a chair in front of me, looking excited.

"Oh, it's only you." He said, hugging me in a greeting anyway.

"Who were you expecting, bloody Tutankhamen?!" I huffed, dragging making my suitcase whiz up the stairs to Uncle Percy's old room, hoping it didn't hit anyone en route.

"I was waiting for Sarah actually." He said, ignoring my tone and slapping Hugo on the back as he appeared. Louis appeared from the dining room and ran to Hugo.

"Hu, you've _got_ to come and see this! Mum let me open one of my schoolbooks early and it's got the _coolest _smoke spell in the world!" He said breathlessly. An enthused-looking Hugo followed him up to Uncle Bill's old room, where they sleep.

"I was never that sad at their age." James said shaking his head in disappointment. Dad laughed as he stepped out of the fireplace and mum batted James on the arm reproachfully, while still smiling at him. Ginny poked her head round the corner.

"Hermione, Ron, come on; we've just cracked open one of Uncle Billius' _ancient_ brandies!" She said, waving her wand at mum and dad's suitcase, which popped out of existence. Mum and dad disappeared into the lounge, dad rubbing his hands together.

"You do realise that Sarah introduced Danny to her parents the other day… it's not just a fling, James." I said, channelling Dom with my bluntness once our parents were safely out of the room.

"She's my friend." He replied doggedly.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"She said if I couldn't be her friend then I couldn't be her anything, and I need her, Rose!" James said desperately.

God his love life is confusing. And that's coming from _ME_.

"And I can't let that happen. At least if we're friends there's a chance of being with her again. No friendship, no chance." He pleaded desperately.

"Fine, fine," I said, putting my hands up in surrender. "Who else is here then?" I asked, sitting down at the kitchen table opposite James.

"Becky arrived at about 9 o' clock this morning and granddad didn't let her parents leave until he'd shown them his fuse collection. Albus and her have been concocting some vile-smelling potion in his room for ages, I just left them to it. When Dom arrived she went and joined them, all power to her I say." James said, counting everyone off his fingers.

"Where are nana and granddad then?" I asked. Nana would usually have pushed some juice into my hands by now or told me that I should stop biting my nails.

"They've gone to the Ministry for something, I don't know" James said airily, waving a hand.

At least I could be with someone who knew about me for a while; it had been tiring being at home and refusing dad's offer of a firewhiskey without arousing suspicion. As if he had read my mind, James turned his eyes from the hearth.

"I take it you haven't told your parents?" He asked.

"Yeah actually, I was having breakfast this morning when I said 'morning mum, dad, guess what I've been up to? I'll give you a clue; it will make me a lot fatter and grumpier than usual!'" I said sarcastically, scowling and resting my head in my hands.

"Hormones playing up are they?" James asked deliberately patronizingly, eyebrows raised.

I immediately softened.

"Sorry, I don't know why-" I managed to say before the fire burst into life and Sarah spun into view, snuggled up in hoodies, gloves and a scarf.

"You're late!" James exclaimed, reindeer ears wobbling fretfully as soon as she stepped out, blinking and dizzy. Travelling by floo was not a preference of Sarah's.

"Yes, well I had Danny over last night to stay, he only just left" She explained, hanging her scarf over the back of a chair and plopping down next to me. James' face immediately hardened and he looked like he'd rather not have known.

"Thought you weren't seeing him again til the end of the holidays?" He said accusingly.

"Yeah, well mum invited him over to get to know him better. Don't think she likes him much" She said, looking confused. James brightened.

"Aww, why's that then?" He said positively gleefully.

"God knows." She shrugged, looking down to unbutton her coat, while James mimed evil laughter at me.

He never gives up.

* * *

><p>"When's lunch nana?" James asked over his shoulder to our grandmother.<p>

The whole gang was sat around the huge table, Sarah and Hugo were playing exploding snap, Becky was inspecting her nails while Dom painted them, and Albus had his nose stuck in a book as ever. Scorpius was writing a letter, his owl perched patiently on his shoulder and opposite him Lily was warming her hands on the open fire.

"You're not having yours here Jamie," she replied mysteriously without looking at us as she stirred a huge pot on the stove.

"Is this because of last Christmas? Because I promise I won't start a food fight with Uncle Ron, please don't make me eat in the garden again?" James implored with wide eyes.

"No love, you're all having a packed lunch." She replied over her shoulder, smiling slightly.

I do not like the way this is going…

"Molly you aren't telling them are you!" Granddad called from what sounded like the garden.

"No Arthur, that pleasure is all yours" Nana called back to him as mum and Aunt Ginny slipped into the room, smiling.

"Right kids, get outside. Your Granddad has a special surprise for you!" Nana Molly said as she bustled around the gallons of tomato soup she was making for lunch. "Out of the kitchen, now, chop chop!" She added when we looked at her quizzically, wiping her hands on her ancient flowery apron and chivvying us all outside.

We all looked at each other and mum and Aunt Ginny gave each other an amused look, scaring me even more.

"Hello guys, gather round now, gather round!" Granddad called from the middle of the garden. We all did as instructed, as Mum and Ginny watched from the doorway, laughing together. I did _not_ like the look of this.

"Right, I've got a special treat for you lot this holiday. Tonight, you will start here, in Ottery St. Catchpole, make your way up and over Stoatshead hill, stopping along the way to sleep every night and then over here in this kind of marshland area, until you reach a cabin. Here you will stay for a night and then take the Portkey back home just in time for Christmas Day!" Granddad said merrily, with the air of giving us a real treat. We gaped at him.

"That route has to be 30 miles long!" James exclaimed, looking at the map Granddad was holding up. He seemed to have drawn a long, squiggly line which we supposed to follow and there was a big 'X' where the cabin was.

"That's exactly right Jay! And that is why I bought you _these!_" Granddad replied, gesturing at two two-man tents and one four-man tent at his feet.

"What do we do with them though if we're walking across moorland?" Albus asked logically.

"Well, a 30 mile route approximately, should technically take you about 6 days, if you walk five miles per day." Granddad said. So, if you start today after lunch you can make it to Stoatshead hill ready to set up your tents for the night! Oh and no magic allowed! I shall know if you don't adhere to that!" Granddad beamed around at us all, and we stared at him. His face fell after a moment.

"Well if you don't want to go, it doesn't matter; I just thought it would be a nice thing for you older kids to do before Christmas…" He said, making to grab the tents to take them back inside.

"Don't move Granddad. Of course we'll go!" I said quickly, and everyone nodded, smiling tensely.

"Brilliant! Now go upstairs and pack your backpacks! Scruffy clothes only!" He called, smiling and leaving the tents where they were.

An hour later, we were all downstairs and ready to go, having packed the essentials. James, Albus, Scorpius, Becky, Dom, Sarah, Lily, Hugo, Roxy, Louis and I were sat at the wooden dining table, waiting for Granddad to do whatever he was doing.

"I'm so proud of you lot agreeing to go like that. It was a very nice thing to do for your Granddad." Nana said quietly to us while the man himself pottered around outside in the garden.

"Right!" Granddad exclaimed, coming into the kitchen. "I hope you're all ready, and Rose, your mum said she'd shrink the bags and make them less heavy or something" He said, looking around the room for mum.

"Yeah, she went with dad to the Ministry to set up a Portkey." I replied.

"Oh yes, well I think she did it before she left." Granddad said, as he looked around at us all, now dressed and made-up, with our scruffy clothes on and ready to go.

"Yes, Arthur, she did. You watched her, remember?" Nana said absentmindedly from the bookshelf, where she was rearranging her cooking books.

"Ahh yes, I do. Um, now what…" He trailed off. "Right, yes. Hugo and Louis, you'll be going with Roxy and her friend on a different, shorter route and you'll be led by Fred and his girlfriend Suzie –who have already left by the way- because there aren't enough tents to go around. Is that OK?" Granddad asked anxiously.

"Yeah, that's fine." Hugo and Louis said together, looking mischievous. They were plotting something, I just knew it. I thanked Merlin we weren't going to be on the same route; they'd probably put bugs in our tent…or worse.

"Behave yourselves." Aunt Fleur said sharply from the doorway, although she smiled.

"So, I think that's it. James, you're the leader - you have the map, off you go!" Granddad said. We all got to our feet with a loud scraping of chairs, and began making our way outside.

"By the way, there are pairs of wellies outside for all of you in the right sizes!" Nana called, knowing Granddad would forget we were all barefoot. We shoved on wellies after much confusion about the right sizes and then trudged back inside.

"Bye, everyone!" I called. Nana Molly rushed over and handed us all a cheese and ham roll.

"Just in case you get peckish on the way up" She beamed. "There are a few litres of water in your bag each as well, so ration yourselves! And remember – no magic! Your Grandfather _will_ know whether you've stuck to that little rule!" She winked, before hugging us all and bustling into the living room, leaving me speechless.

Uncle Harry then came into the room, carrying handfuls of what looked like small, plastic squares.

"Muggle pedometers I picked up at the Ministry" He explained, handing them out. "Just so you know how far you actually have walked per day. I think your Granddad marked on the map where you should be stopping to set up camp but you never know. It might be interesting to see how far you walked in a day." He shrugged, before hugging the family members and waving to the others.

He hugged Sarah, too, which didn't surprise me. She and James had been together for over a year and in that time Sarah had stayed at the Potter's house probably more than I had. Harry had liked her a hundred times more than any of his other girlfriends, probably because she treated him more like her boyfriend's father than a celebrity.

And because she took a genuine interest in his collection of golden snitches. And when you like Uncle Harry's collection of snitches, you're his friend for life.

Ginny had loved her too probably because Sarah was a lot like her – they didn't take any shit, loved quidditch and weren't pathetic, wimpy girly-girls. And also because she had a female other than Lily to watch soppy films and drink wine with on the Friday nights that Sarah stayed over.

At that moment, interrupting my little train of thought, mum and dad arrived in the fireplace, holding hands with their elbows tucked right in.

"Thank god we caught you before we left. We wanted to say goodbye!" Mum smiled as dad brushed the soot from her clothes.

"Well, we'll see you Christmas morning!" Mum said, hugging us each in turn, while my dad hugged the girls and clapped a hand on the shoulder of the boys.

"Right well, I'd better go before you lot. Happy hour is about to start!" Dad said, before one last smile at all of us. "Have a good time; don't get in too much trouble. And if you shift, don't be seen! Oh, Harry, are you coming to open the pub with me?" He added to Uncle Harry, who nodded. The pair left, waving one last time and walking outside before apparating.

Aunt Ginny came ambling into the room in her slippers, two glasses in her hands. She handed one to mum.

"Mulled Mead." She explained. Mum looked at her watch.

"Gin, it's only two o clock in the afternoon…" Mum said, as she took a sip. Ginny shrugged and Lily rolled her eyes at Sarah, who disguised a laugh with a fake sneeze.

"It's five o clock somewhere." Ginny grinned. "Plus, the kids are off and then men are all at work! It's just me, you, mum, Angie and Fleur." She winked. Mum took a bigger swig and grinned at Ginny.

What great mother figures we have.

"You two are like an advert for alcoholism," James said.

As if he needs an advert anyway.

"But we're off, before it gets dark. God knows how long it'll take to set up the tents…" He sighed.

"All right loves. Take care" Aunt Ginny said as she worked her way around, hugging everyone at random. And with a few more 'goodbyes' and 'take cares' and 'James what's that moving in your rucksack!?' we made our way up the drive and towards Stoatshead hill. This was going to be a _long_ six days.


	25. Chapter 24: Tension in the Tents

**Chapter 24: Tension in the Tents**

"Right, we've got two two-man tents and one four man tent. If Scorpius and Albus share a tent and James and Lily share a tent then us four older girls can have the four man tent." Becky said slowly, looking confused with herself as she wiped her muddy hands on her trousers after we had clambered up the top of the slippery hill on all fours.

"Not being funny, Becks, but I get a bit touchy-feely in my sleep. I do not want to wake up and find I've molested my sister." James said casually. Lily wrinkled her pretty nose delicately.

"I'm not sharing a tent with my brother. He smells like an old badger in the mornings" She said. Sarah and Dom laughed.

"And I don't want to wake up to find myself spooning Scorpius, either. No offence, mate." Albus added.

"None taken. There has to be another arrangement?" Scorpius said, leaning against a tree, looking cool.

"You'll have to share a tent with one of us girls then..." Sarah said uncertainly. James opened his mouth, looking ecstatic.

"Shotgun the four man tent!" Lily called suddenly.

"Me too!" Dom and Becky squealed in unison.

"Ditto." Albus said suddenly as Sarah and I were busy looking at each other in horror.

"Okay then, Sarah and I will share a tent." I said with a casual shrug. Scorpius and James looked at each other.

"I don't want to wake up with a sore arse, much as I love you James." Scorpius said.

"Agreed." James added.

"Fine then!" I'll sleep in with one of y-" Sarah began crossly.

"Me!" James yelled before she could finish. Scorpius grinned at him as if to say 'smooth, James, really subtle' and my eyes widened in horror as I realized Scorpius and I would be sharing a tent.

"Fine. But if you rape me, I'll castrate you." Sarah said with the ghost of a smile, disappearing into the nearest two-man tent.

"Rape is such a strong word. I prefer to call it 'surprise sex'…" James laughed, ducking out from her punch as he followed her into the tent.

* * *

><p>The next day saw us clutching the Portkey, which turned out to be an old tyre. We slammed onto the ground and a tent fell on my head as we struggled to our feet.<p>

"I hate being cold. It's the only condition that literally stops me from functioning." Sarah complained.

I nodded, picking up the offending tent and looking around myself. We were in the middle of a field. It was on a slant, with a churchyard not far behind us. At the bottom of the hill were ditches filled with boggy water and fields stretching as far as the fog allowed us to see. Up ahead, following the slanting hill was a stile and a steep upward field with a few houses dotted up the hill opposite.

"We're going this way." James said, reading the map upside down and pointing aimlessly at a tree. Lily took the map from him and pointed to the stile, blowing her fringe out of her eyes.

"Next camp is over that stile, up the hill and in the valley the other side, under a copse of oak trees." She said, leading the way.

Scorpius helped me up and I avoided his gaze as I thanked him and hitched the tent over my shoulder.

"No heavy lifting for you, preggo." James said, grabbing the tent off me. I rolled my eyes.

"I am with child, I am not an invalid." I said grumpily.

"Chill with the hormones, Ro." Dom snapped, walking up ahead with Lily. Becky raised her eyebrows at me while the rest didn't seem to have heard. I felt like I was going to burst into tears.

Damn this baby, damn these hormones and sod this fucking walking.

"Don't be sad Rosie, Dom hates not being able to have her creature comforts – she needs a warm bed, coffee in the mornings, her makeup and her straighteners to feel half human." Becky said, noticing my face.

I took a deep breath and ploughed on with her while James and Scorpius walked ahead, pointing out random landmarks to each other. Albus was tucking his shrunken backpack (courtesy of mum) into his back pocket and Dom seemed to be propelled by her own anger, taking the lead, flanked by Sarah and Lily, who had linked arms to keep balance from tiredness and the cold.

I clutched my stomach habitually for comfort and felt my little hard bump. My stomach has never been hard; I made sure of that with plenty of Honeydukes visits and nana's cooking.

"You want to drop that habit for when we get home Ro-bo" James commented casually to me, turning around.

"What habit?" Becky asked, helping me over the stile.

"The whole sweating and clutching your stomach thing. Nothing screams 'pregnant' quite like that." Scorpius said helpfully.

How is it he still looked perfect in these conditions, with pink cheeks and nose from the icy breeze and in scruffy clothes and bed head? Not fair.

"As much as I appreciate everyone's support today," I said meaningfully glaring at Dom's retreating back, "I don't think I can deal with you all being _quite_ so helpful" I finished gruffly.

"Come on Rose." Scorpius said, offering me his hand to help me up the deceptively steep hill. Becky and James walked on together leaving us alone.

_Why_ am I so terrified of being with my best mate?

"Thanks." I said.

"Well I don't see the father anywhere to help out." He said with thinly disguised bitterness.

The irony was not lost on me.

"Cut him some slack, Scor. He's a good man." I said.

"A good man would marry you." Scorpius said seriously, looking straight at me.

And that's when I fainted.

* * *

><p>James carried me to the top of the hill and held my arm as we walked down. Being able to see the next camp was propelling us all to go a little faster. Scorpius was ahead with Albus and Becky, chatting casually. Dom, who was the other side of James, looked apologetic. I nodded at her jerkily in forgiveness.<p>

"What happened?" Sarah asked quietly from my other side, rubbing my arm to generate some heat.

"He implied that if he knew he were the father, he'd marry me." I said breathily. James let out a nervous laugh and Sarah looked at me with wide eyes.

"Wow. He really is a good guy," she said, looking at his back, "misguided, but decent."

"His intentions are good but you shouldn't marry someone just because they're having your baby. You should marry someone because you want to spend the rest of your life with them, and you love them." James said quietly.

"Exactly." I said, nodding.

"Relax, he didn't get down on one knee or anything. Until he finds out it's his he won't know how he'll react – what you think you're going to do and what you actually do are two different things. He may still bolt" Sarah shrugged.

"Thanks, that fills me with hope," I said sarcastically, but half smiling at her.

"Well you don't want to marry him and you don't want him to run off. There's still everything to play for. But you should tell him before we go back to school... And your parents." Sarah advised.

I nodded, this had gone on for too long now, I would be three months gone in two days and there was only so long I could cover it up.

"I know. I'm going to." I said decisively.

And I meant it.

* * *

><p>We ate well that night and sat around a self-made campfire in our pyjamas, me ignoring everyone's yawns. I wasn't keen to get into bed with Scorpius again – last night had been awkward enough and even if he thought my fainting spell earlier was exhaustion-induced he might still try to broach the 'who's the father, make him marry you' subject. Turns out, my best efforts to keep everyone up for as long as possible could only get me so far.<p>

"I'm aching like a centipede," James said, stretching.

"I didn't know centipede's ached," Sarah mused from next to me absentmindedly.

"How dare you! We're people too!" James replied, faux-affronted.

"If you say so," Albus piped up from opposite him. "I'm off to bed" he added, carefully closing his book and disappearing into his tent.

"Me too," Becky yawned and Dom nodded, patting Lily on the shoulder gently to wake her up.

"Night everyone," Sarah said as she followed James into their tent, giving me a meaningful glance over her shoulder that plainly told me to woman-up.

Crap. Just us two.

The fire spat angrily at us and was intensified by the silence between us. I poked it with the stick I had been playing with and it hissed gently.

"So," Scorpius began. He had been looking at me for ages. "Will you ever tell us who the father is?" He asked.

I almost asked him what the hell he was on about – everyone else already knew – but stopped myself, realising.

"Yes."

"Good start. Any clues?" He asked, shuffling closer to me. I stared into the fire, watching the glowing logs intently. Pyromancy – the study of divination using a fire – was a favourite of Sarah's, but I could never see anything but burning wood in it.

"No," I said bluntly.

"How do you feel about him?" This question pulled my eyes from the fire and towards his. The fire flickered beautifully in them.

"He's going to be there for me the whole time. He'll be by my side during all the scans, the birth, and all the years that follow. He'll be with me throughout it all, and I actually hope that he can love more than just the baby one day." I said, staring without seeing back into the fire.

Scorpius said nothing for a long time.

"That may be the most genuine thing you've ever said to me as long as I've known you." He said quietly. "He's a lucky man." He added even more quietly, glaring into the fire.

"I hope the two of you are happy." He didn't look at me while he said it, but I could hear the poison in his voice.

Without a word, he stood up slowly and went into our tent, and I was alone once more.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

"James! Wake up!" Sarah hissed into the darkness. I slept soundly, my leg over one of hers and an arm draped over her waist. She prodded me sharply in the ribs irritably with her wand and I jumped, awakening with a start.

"Sarah what the hell? I'm trying to sleep." I complained groggily and nestled my head on her shoulder, closing my eyes. Sarah gave me another stab.

"James so help me Merlin if you don't get off me this instant I'll shove this wand where the sun don't shine!" Sarah muttered hotly. I rolled over and sat up, removing all offending limbs from on top of her.

"What's the problem? It's not like it's hot out here, you should be glad for a personal bed warmer." I said, rubbing my eyes blearily.

"You were moaning my name in your sleep and woke me up. I just returned the favour." Sarah said moodily. She was not a morning person.

I flushed bright red and thanked the gods she couldn't see me. I'd been dreaming about her, like I do most nights, but tonight it was so much more vivid because my unconscious could sense her presence, smell her perfume, feel her next to me… at least she couldn't feel the evidence of my lust and love for her. Self-conscious, I shuffled over a bit.

"Well, sorry, Can I go back to sleep now?" I groaned, mostly to distract myself from thinking about what I'd like to do with her.

"No, I heard a weird noise outside." Sarah said uneasily.

"It was probably Rose and Scorpius…you know what they're like…" I said, waving it away and snuggling close to her. There was an icy breeze drifting into the tent and she was very warm.

"James seriously, it was really loud, come and check it with me?" Sarah said.

I love it when she's the damsel in distress.

"Don't look at me like that…I'm not helpless." She said irritably, reading my mind as she stood up in the stupid muggle tent and pulled me up. I hope she can't usually read my mind or I'm in quite serious trouble…although I know sometimes she can. I unzipped the tent very slowly and quietly and we stepped into the freezing night air. Sarah jumped towards me and clutched my arm. I put it around her and we squinted into the darkness.

"Who's th-" I started but was muffled by Sarah's hand over my mouth.

"Haven't you ever seen a horror film? Idiots who say 'who's there' in the middle of dark woods always get killed first!" She hissed.

I rolled my eyes and we went in search of the strange, strangled noise. We approached Scorpius and Rose's tent and found the flap half unzipped and moving gently in the wind. Sarah bent and looked inside the tent cautiously.

"Where the hell's Ro?" She said, looking at me. I was getting accustomed to the gloom now and could see the worry in her pale face.

"Oh my God, what if the monster's got her! Whoever shall save us now?! MAYDAY, MAYDA- OW, don't hit your knight in shining pyjamas!"

"I'm here." Moaned a very forlorn voice. Rubbing my arm, we made our way over to a laurel bush not far away. A figure was crouched beside it.

"Rosie?" Sarah asked tentatively.

"Hi Sarah." Rose groaned before retching and puking into the bush.

"Nice." I said. "Back to bed for me." Rose nodded and went back into her own tent, Sarah's hand on her lower back gently guiding her. She turned on me then.

"Come on then. And if you wake me up again, I will kill you."

And life reverts to normal.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: 5 chapters to go until the big reveal! I must say, I can't stop tweaking the chapters in anticipation so it's all that you guys expect and more... can't wait :) Please review! Means the world :D**

**-Sarita x**


	26. Chapter 25: The Big Deepy

**Chapter 25: The Big Deepy**

The next day passed as before – cold, wet, and full of pregnant (ha!) silences between Scorpius and I. The day after, I woke up, for a second bewildered as to where I was. I opened a bleary eye and found Scorpius' face a few inches from my own, relaxed in peaceful sleep, his arm draped over my waist and knees tucked up to meet mine through the sleeping bags. I watched him for a few minutes, his breathing deep and even, his lovely chest in his old grey T-shirt moving slightly as he did, and his big arm warm over mine. Our child would be beautiful if it resembled him even by half, I thought, too sleepy to chastise myself for thinking about him. I had taken our one night together for granted. I should have enjoyed being so close to him, him kissing me in the sweet, tentative, nervous way he did and moving with me just as gently as he kissed me, his shaking hands running down over my hips and giving them a squeeze as he pulled me towards him…

"What're you thinking about?" Scorpius asked, not opening his eyes. He must have been awake the whole time, watching me from under his eyelashes.

Shit.

"The night at the party" I blurted without thinking. Immediately I panicked, wondering if he'd finally put two and two together. He raised his eyebrows, his eyes darting between both of mine.

"You think about it too?" He asked quietly, almost hopefully. I felt the worry on my face as I nodded.

"I think about it every day, Rose. It was the best night of my life," he whispered, studying my face and looking as scared of rejection as I must have.

"I remember bits and pieces of that night. You were so gentle…" I said quietly. His fingers reached out he touched my cheek.

"I tried to put how I felt into it. I wanted you to feel special, I wanted to make it special" He said. I could feel a prickling at the back of my eyes and I nodded to push the feeling away.

"Did you sleep with him?" Scorpius asked very quietly. I just looked at him.

"Freddie… when you guys got back together, did you sleep with him?" He asked. I could feel the fear creeping up my back...

"Rose, Scor, up you get! We've got to walk a bit longer today to reach the cabin for tomorrow!" Becky's voice said from outside, invading upon the world inside the tent which made me feel like we were the only two people in existence. We jumped, and it was with sadness that I realised the way I felt about Scorpius, and the fact that the most tender, meaningful and scary conversation I'd ever had was over.

* * *

><p>Scorpius didn't ask me again, he seemed to have taken my silence as an affirmative answer, but he seemed not to be holding it against me. He wasn't giving me sad little glances, he seemed to have just accepted it, as I would have if I found out he was sleeping with Chelsea. I wasn't stupid enough to think it hadn't affected him, I knew we had weird feelings for each other, but we don't have a claim to each other… he's not mine, he's Chelsea's. And I don't belong to anyone. James snapped me out of my little reverie as I neared him and the others – I had been lagging behind.<p>

"It's no use. It's huge; we'll have to go through the middle." James sighed, holding the map at different angles in the pale sunshine. A bog stretched out in front of us as far as we could see clearly. I caught Scorpius' eye and felt like crying. I wanted so badly for him to hug me ever since this morning.

"What if we…Oh no there's a river there. Damn." Sarah said, scratching her head as she stood behind James. He traced his finger along the middle of the map. "We're _here_" He said, jabbing it with a forefinger. "And the last stop is right _here_. It'll take us most of the day to get across though, but there's a massive willow tree there in the middle of the swamp that we could stay in…" He suggested.

"Yeah, go for it." Sarah said, smiling at him from over his shoulder. He smiled back and hitched his bag further up his back and pointed to the tree, which seemed miles away from here. Me and Becky exchanged a glance, while Dom looked most apprehensive from Becky's side.

"Onward march!" James called, still pointing.

He then proceeded into the bog, his 'hiking stick' (what looked like half a small tree) in his hand and one of the tents in his other. Just then, his left foot began sinking into the mud, which was squelching horribly.

"Oh bugger it." He said as we all came in behind him, Sarah directly behind him, me behind her and next to Lily, Becky behind us, Scorpius next to her, and Albus and Dom bringing up the rear.

Sarah carefully avoided the place where James was steadily sinking into and stood in front of him.

"You lot carry on; I'll help this moron out." She said, rolling her eyes.

Lily laughed as we passed them slowly, and flicked James' ear. The mud was quite pleasant underfoot, as long as it wasn't threatening to suck us down deeper. However, though this mud was quite shallow I had a horrible feeling it would definitely get deeper.

"Christ, Rose I'm stuck can you grab this tent a minute?" Scorpius said from next to me. I took the tent, looking into his eyes with a little smile and passed it to Lily, who kept on wading.

"Come on." I said, grabbing his hand and tugging forwards. He propelled out of the mud and water with a noise like a plunger being extracted form a sink, and grinned.

"My life flashed before my eyes then." He laughed as we carried on.

Becky and Albus were at the front, arms linked for balance and Dom was walking with Lily, holding hands and using their sticks to balance them. I looked behind me to see Sarah trying to manoeuvre James out of the mud. Both his feet were under mud and water and he and Sarah were facing each other, hands on each other's shoulders as they tried to think of ways to get out. She was sinking fast, too.

"Right…" I heard her say as I turned back around and Scorpius grabbed my elbow to stop falling over, nearly pulling me over with him.

"Take my hands now, Jay. I'll walk slowly backwards and you just try not to step where I've stepped or you'll sink again…" Sarah was saying assertively. I grabbed an overhanging willow branch and Scorpius and I began walking over a dead log, holding onto the branch above us, which was creaking threateningly.

"That's good...easy…careful now, you don't want to leave your welly behind." Sarah was saying.

"Ow, sorry Sar."

"You will be, now come on...Ow, bollocks!" Sarah yelled. There was a splash and more squealing. As if perfectly choreographed, we all turned around to see Sarah half sat half lying in the mud and water, James on top of her. She was laughing hysterically and James had a look of love and shock on his face as he looked down at her.

"You okay?" Scorpius called.

"Yeah…we're fine" Sarah giggled, trying to get to her feet.

She wasn't completely covered in mud, I was surprised to see. There was some on the seat of her trousers and a little way up her back, and all over the back of her arms, but none in her hair or at all on her front. James too wasn't too badly covered. His arms were muddy up to his elbows, where he had tried to break his fall, and on his knees where he had fallen, but other than that he was dry. He got up first and helped Sarah up with a slimy hand, laughing too.

"What are they like, eh?" I said, shaking my head. Scorpius looked sideways at me.

"They're in love." He said, looking at me seriously, and no longer shuffling along the log. I opened and closed my mouth once or twice, but then there was an ominous creak beneath us and we shuffled off our log pretty sharpish and into deeper watery mud. Dom was hanging from an overhanging branch and looking as if she was having a mid-life crisis while the others stood around her, apparently trying to persuade her to keep moving. Sarah and James were catching us up, currently on our log.

"Careful, it's about ready to break!" I warned, as James bounced on the log, laughing. He jumped off and both his feet shot downwards until the mud and water was going over the top of his wellies.

"Shit, bugger, shit!" He said. "My sockies are all wet" he moaned. Dom squealed from up ahead and me and Sarah went towards her, where Becky, Al and Lily were trying to calm her down enough to start moving again. Scorpius hoisted James out of the mud again, and they made their slow way over to us, James not complaining anymore.

"Dom, it's OK, it was only a _small _snake…" Becky was saying uncertainly looking around her. Albus nodded sympathetically. I didn't like the sound of this.

"But there aren't meant to be snakes…this is Britain…" Dom half-moaned half-sobbed.

"Well we get grass snakes here, don't we…they're not poisonous." Lily said, trying to persuade Dom to get off her log.

"Adders are poisonous, but you can recognise them by the zigzag pattern down their back." Albus piped up helpfully, wiping mud and slime off his glasses.

"Oh well done, smartarse." Lily snapped as Dom sobbed louder. Albus opened his mouth to retort but James held up his stick.

"Dom a moving target is harder to hit, or bite. Come on." James said, holding his hand up to her. She sobbed and looked at him. She _hates_ snakes.

"Come on, take my hand." James prompted, reached up to her branch. God knows how she got up there without footholds, but the snake she saw must have motivated her.

"Come on Dom!" I wailed, moving my feet up and down so they wouldn't sink, as were the others.

Dom took James's hand and he pulled her out of the tree, plopping her in the mud next to me. Sarah and I took her hands and began moving towards the huge and tangled willow tree, which no longer looked so far away. Scorpius got stuck in a particularly sticky patch of mud, but eventually we came to about ten metres from the tree. However there were no overhanging branches to use for support here and it looked deeper than the rest.

"Erm…right. Everyone get in a horizontal line, and for God's sake hold on to each other somehow. James said, squeezing between me and Sarah. Scorpius held my other hand, looking at me and grinning as he did so, while Albus held Sarah's other hand and Becky held his. Dom and Lily were on the ends, Dom looking around the bog fearfully for signs of snake movement.

"OK, in we go. Luggage above your heads…oh wait, I haven't thought this through. Um OK, hands together above our heads." James explained. "I think this is the big deepy." He added in a false Scottish accent. He is utterly (butterly) mad. We raised our light luggage high above our heads, still clasping hands, and looked expectantly at James.

"On the count of three?" Sarah asked, looking defiant. She loved a challenge. Dom, however, was looked around the swamp fearfully, trembling.

"Yeah, all right. One…Two…_three_!" James said assertively. We all took one step forward… and sank up to our waists in the thick mud water.

"Ergh!" Becky said as we took giant wades together in the cold liquid. It was quite a pleasant day, and having walked so much already, we had discarded our jackets and tied them around our middles, but as we plunged even deeper in the stagnant, smelly and cold watery mud, I wished I had kept mine on.

"Careful!" Sarah called to Becky, on the end. "I think that's a wasp nest right there, don't disturb it!" She said sharply.

Too late, for Becky had accidentally hit it with her stick. Suddenly, there was a very loud buzzing noise, and there was movement all around us.

"I'm allergic!" I screamed hysterically, and before I could say anything, Scorpius had thrown me into the bog, and I was on my knees in the thick mud and water, choking for air as only my head and neck was above the water level.

"SCORPIUS GET DOWN!" Sarah yelled, and Scorpius plunged in next to me, hugging me tightly to him so my face and neck were protected from the angry wasps, which were buzzing angrily everywhere. There weren't a lot of them, but I could see that everyone but Sarah and James were sat in the horrible, smelly water.

"TENTS OVERBOARD!" James screamed hysterically.

"JAMES, FORGET THE FUCKING TENTS, GET _DOWN_!" Sarah bellowed, and pushed him with one hand as she tried to beat a wasps away from her face with the other. James stumbled and grabbed Sarah's hand out of instinct, pulling her down with him.

"Ow!" She cried as she fell forwards into the water, submerged for a second before she half-stood up in the cold, horrible water, one hand rubbing her chest and the other somewhere in the region of her ankle. James pulled her down again onto his lap more carefully this time and made sure she was as covered in water as possible.

"Sorry, guys!" Becky moaned. There was green weedy stuff in her pale hair, and she resembled a drowned rat as she stood up ten minutes later, once the wasps had disappeared.

"Are y-you all right Sare?" Scorpius said, through chattering teeth from next to me, as he pulled me back onto my feet.

"Yeah. I think so. One of them got me, though. And I think I hurt my ankle when I fell over." She said. She was still sat down. This didn't look too good…

"Oh my god love, I'm so sorry" James said, throwing himself in the water next to her and feeling her ankle. She winced and he looked horrified.

"Oh my god," he repeated. "If I've broken it I'll never forgive myself. He looked terrified, but she forced a smile.

"Just help me up, all right? I'll be fine; I'm a big girl…" Sarah began. Everyone was wringing their clothes out, and I was seriously toying with the idea of magically washing my hair as James hauled Sarah to her feet. She winced once or twice, but put on a brave face.

"Are you OK?" James asked, running his fingers through his hair anxiously.

"James I'll be fine, I just need a sit down, that's all." Sarah replied.

"Fine. You're fine, OK. Just walk to the tree will you?" James asked shrewdly. Sarah gave him a determined look and the rest of us made our slow way to the tree, knowing they could battle this one out by themselves. We watched Sarah and James from the dry bank, where we sat and kicked our wellies off, empting the liquid from them.

"Ergh." Becky said as she picked green slime from her hair.

I looked across the bog to see Sarah edging her way forward, James stood in front of her, arms folded as if he'd just proved a point. She gave him another highly determined look and took a step forward…before wincing and dropping like a stone, nearly plunging into the water, before James caught her. Dom gasped as it happened, and I was ready to yell at James for trying to make her walk when he could have just helped her across to here, but then he stepped behind her with difficulty, and swooping down, picked her up with a grunt, carrying her bridal-style. They looked so sweet, and the sunlight glinted off their raven-black hair as he brought her slowly over to us, Sarah looking pained but stubborn clutching her ankle and him looking like a true hero. James finally came out of the water and we scattered, barefoot, to make room for them. We had set our boots out in the sunshine to dry a bit, and James set Sarah down on the sandy dry mud, which was quite pleasant underfoot, so she was lying down on the ground. We crowded around her, and Albus slid his hand up Sarah's ankle and to her leg, trying to feel whether it was broken, while she watched, not saying anything.

"I can manage," James said scowling meaningfully, and batting his brother out of the way.

"He's so _lovesick!_" Albus said huffily, sitting down next to me, further away from Sarah and James, who was carefully searching for broken bones.

"I know. Why can't she see it?!" I asked half-frustrated, half-awed. Albus raised his eyebrows.

"Because she can't possibly see past her own love for him, to see that he loves her too." Albus said wisely.

"You think she does? She seems to really like Danny..." I said uncertainly, though a flicker of hope for my cousin and best friend had burst into life somewhere in me. I'd rather hope for them than pin my hopes on Scorpius and me sorting our shit out.

"Yeah, I think she likes him too, but I think she really _loves_ James, y'know?" Albus said, watching his brother beadily. I was aware that Lily was listening intently, since she was smiling all over her face, but I wasn't worried; she'd keep anything she heard to herself.

"Maybe, but why doesn't she react to James? He's always flirting with her, it's so obvious." I said, rolling my eyes, while James declared that nothing was broken, as far as he could tell, just sprained.

"Years of practice of dealing with lots of men flirting with her. If she has a boyfriend, then it's just water off a duck's back to her; I doubt she even notices half the time." Al replied with a shrug.

God I hope he doesn't have a thing for her. That'd be beyond weird, and bordering on criminally insane. But then again, he's only human.

Sigh.

"Did you say the wasp got you?" Albus called to Sarah, who looked up and over at him. I noticed that from up close he had started blushing under her gaze.

Oh dear Lord, he likes her. Quick, Rose – transfer his fickle affections somewhere else!

"Yeah, could you come and have a look, I can't see where it got me" Sarah explained. Albus scrambled to his feet and hurried over, passing James, who was massaging her ankle.

Merlin, if I could have boys act that way around me I wouldn't be in the middle of a bog, I can tell you. I looked around the group: Becky seemed most put out when Albus smiled down at Sarah goofily and sat down in front of her, almost straddling her hips so he could face her. I looked across the water lazily; it really was quite a nice day for winter.

Albus was ogling Sarah's chest up close when I looked back over, and I nearly called out but James looked up suddenly.

"Oi, kid brother! Eyes off the prize!" He barked.

"Jay, he's looking for the sting." Sarah said calmly. Albus was still poking her flesh until she gasped.

"Oh, it's right there." She said, pointing to a reddening mark on the top of her right breast. She wiped the mud off carefully, and Albus took a closer look.

"Ouch" He said sympathetically. "Looks painful. I've heard that it feels better if you…rub it." He said, reaching forward.

"She's got hands of her own, Albus!" James snarled and Sarah looked at him with a lopsided grin, while Al retracted his hands reluctantly and straightened up.

"Come on, let's set up camp here, it's not like we can go any further with her in the state she's in." I said quickly, scrambling up and pulling Lily up too. It was kind of nice not being the invalid anymore.

When we reached the tents that had been discarded by the bank, I groaned. They were absolutely sodden. There was no way we could sleep in them tonight without letting them at least dry off first.

"Shitting hell. Can anything else go wrong today?" Scorpius spat from next to me, picking bog-slime out of his hair.

Honestly, I didn't think so.

* * *

><p>Three hours later, it was four o clock, and we were under the cover of the trees. It turned out that what we'd thought was one tree was actually several intertwined and thickly growing willows, underneath which we had taken refuge from the now bitterly cold wind. Sarah was propped up against the trunk of a particularly big one, and had combed most of the bog out of her hair, and was now applying liberal amounts of coconut serum into. None of us begrudged her this as we pottered around our little camp, since there was nothing else she could do with a bad ankle. Albus and Scorpius were up in the tree above her, with one of the tents, trying to dry it out in the wind. Becky and Dom were trying to do the same with all the clothes we could afford to take off in the cold weather, having found a branch low-hanging and straight enough to use as a washing line. James and I were currently collecting all the dead branches and logs we could find for firewood.<p>

"You know guys, it's so cold and it would be so much easier to dry all our clothes right now while there's still a bit of sunlight and enough wind if we just shifted and slept as animals, out in the open. Let's face it, the tents aren't going to be nearly dry enough to sleep in tonight and our fur will keep us warm…" Becky said quickly, as if saying it so fast would make it less likely that one of us would shoot her idea down.

"Good idea, Becks." James said vaguely, trying to break a huge log up enough to carry.

"Yeah, it would save us the hassle of having to put the tents right up close to the fire to get them dry, even though they aren't completely soaked." Scorpius said, stopping shaking the tent he and Albus were holding between them. Albus, however, seemed not to have noticed that Scorpius had stopped, and was still shaking the tent out rather dreamily, as he gazed down at Sarah.

"Yeah, great. What do you think, Al?" I said loudly. Albus looked at me and James looked up, frowning.

"Yep, good plan." He said, as James stepped out from around his log, arms folded. Becky smiled slightly at Albus.

"Do we all agree then?" Dom asked, as she hung my blue jumper on the 'washing line.'

"Yep." Said Lily. "Does this mean we have to get naked or what?" She said, looked uncomfortable.

"It would be best, don't you think? I mean, it can all dry at once." Becky said, looking just as uncomfortable about this idea as everyone else.

"Fine." I said. "Come on girls, we'll go and get changed over there." I said, pointing to the middle of the thick trees, where we had planned to build our fire. We trudged through the sandy mud, which was still pleasant underfoot, until we reached the thickest point in the trees.

"Guys, I brought the towel I was using on my hair, I hope nobody minds about that, but I thought one could hold it up while the other gets undressed and shifts behind it? And kind of pass the towel around…" Sarah said uncertainly.

"Good plan!" I said enthusiastically, not having my own plan of how to get undressed.

We all got changed and then shifted, not taking as long as I thought we might. We left our clothes in a pile, and feeling much warmer as animals, trotted back towards the boy's camp.

"Oi! Get out of here, chicklets!" James said, standing in his boxers behind the nearest tree to the camp. Lily snorted and turned around in disgust, while Sarah opened her fox mouth and let out a bark-like laugh.

James threw his sock at her.

So we trotted back to our clothes and lay down in the sandy centre of the circle of trees, warmed by the huge fire which was drying the clothes we had laid sprawled out.

"All right girls, you can come back now!" I heard Albus shout through the trees, and we sped towards them, where we found the huge bear-like dog that was James, the same-sized wolf that was Scorpius, the lynx that Albus took the form of, and clothes strewn everywhere. They carried their clothes in between their teeth back towards the centre of thick trees and dropped them in front of the fire. The tents had already been carried over here by human-form Scorpius.

We did curl up for warmth that night, but I longed for so much more from Scorpius that I barely slept a wink.

* * *

><p><em>AN: It's a bit filler-y I know but there are some important moments in there. Stay turned for more next week :) please review guys, love all your comments I read them AAAALL :D –Sarita x_


	27. Chapter 26: Merry Christmas, Baby

**Chapter 26: Merry Christmas, Baby**

Groggily, I lifted my head. I was surprisingly warm since I was basically sleeping rough. Scorpius' wet wolf nose was pressed into me and behind him, Sarah had her fox head resting on James' chest, the pair of them snuggled up together, while Becky, Dom, Albus and Lily huddled close to us all for warmth, Becky sandwiched between Albus and Dom. I opened my mouth to shout to James that we'd better get moving, and a shrill bark emitted from my mouth, surprising even me. Scorpius shot up with a yelp and James whined, covering his ear with his paw before licking Sarah on the nose.

"Kissing an animal doesn't count as cheating," James shrugged, popping into a teenage boy again and holding Sarah's snapping fox-jaws together as he planted kisses all over her furry head.

Scorpius looked down on me and dragged his tongue across the whiskers on my cheek, his big paw resting on my little one. I gave him a canine smile. Words cannot describe how weird it is to know exactly how your human face works and what you look like when you make a certain expression, and how odd it is to step into the body of a fox and have your world change. We all shifted to humans groggily and dressed in our dry, relatively warm clothes. We smelt like a farmyard and we only grumbled to each other as we got to our feet and collected our things. Sleep seemed to have done Sarah's ankle some good and she could walk normally if she was careful, despite James fretting like an old woman.

"We've got about three miles that way now until we get to the cabin." Becky said, pointing over a hill still covered in mist. Lily groaned and began the trudge up the hill, after tying her scruffy hair into a loose bun upon her head. Groaning collectively about the walk, we trudged onward, not even James having the energy to make a joke as we worked our way up the hill.

"How are you going to tell your parents, Ro?" Lily asked out of nowhere. Everyone looked at me with interest and I shrugged.

"Maybe they'll never notice." I joked with a small smile. Scorpius cocked his head at me.

"Do you think the father will take it well?" Dom asked meaningfully.

"Would you?" I asked.

"Probably not." Dom shrugged, Becky nodded as well.

"It would be incest so no," James answered.

"I would wonder how I could be a father, biologically," Sarah reasoned, grinning at me.

"Wow, I didn't actually want answers from any of you nitwits." I said, shaking my head.

"I'd be shocked; nobody can be a parent this young." Albus said before checking my face.

"I mean, you can obviously Ro, but most _men_ aren't mature enough" He added quickly.

Scorpius remained silent throughout the whole thing. It struck me suddenly how he could be so thick… how many men did he really think I'd slept with?! Either that or he really was burying his head in the sand…

* * *

><p>"I've got a stitch, I'm desperately unfit." Sarah panted an hour later as we reached the top of the hill and gazed down into a valley, into which was nestled a small shack some way down.<p>

"We're having lunch here. I physically can't walk anymore. Baby doesn't like it." I said, plopping down onto the ground cross legged.

"Neither does mine," James said, fondly rubbing his stomach.

Lily rummaged around and found some sandwiches, perhaps a little stale, but still fantastic-tasting to our deprived mouths. She passed them out followed by a cauldron cupcake each and a litre of water that we passed around.

"What are you getting for Christmas then?" Sarah asked conversationally as she picked her cake apart to enjoy it for longer.

"Clothes," Becky said pulling at her sweatshirt with her nose wrinkled.

"Books and potions ingredients," Albus said cheerfully, gulping his cake down in one.

"What about you James, what are you getting?" Lily asked, wiping her hands on her trousers.

"Drunk" He replied with a grin.

"Of course." I said dryly, getting to my feet.

"It doesn't feel like Christmas Eve," Sarah said, getting up as well and helping Dom to her feet.

"That's because we're covered in mud instead of sat around drinking mulled mead in front of the fire at The Burrow" Becky said.

"Well, that'll change tomorrow. Drinks all around!" Lily laughed. "But not for you." She added sternly to me.

Soon we were walking down the steep hill, all of us falling over at various times after slipping in the mud and the dew-soaked grass.

"I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a shack." James panted as we gathered around our final destination two hours later.

Truly, I had never been so happy just to be indoors.

* * *

><p>The 'cabin' was not as shabby from the inside; in fact there was a kitchenette and 4 double rooms each with an en-suite. Didn't think granddad actually knew about that, I doubt he'd be encouraging young teens to share beds…<p>

It was getting dark outside as we dumped our stuff in a heap in the middle of the floor and ran off to shower, relishing the warm water on our bodies and the opportunity to wash our bog-stained hair and bodies. We ate well that night, finding some cooked pasta in our bag of food and managing to warm it up over the stove and add some cheese to it. We ate in near silence, but comfortably. It was nice to have a hot meal in us again.

"Are we keeping up the same sleeping arrangements?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"May as well." James shrugged.

"I'll share with Al," Lily said, the exhaustion having worn off her reluctance to share a bed with her brother for a night, "you two can share," she said to Dom and Becky, who nodded.

"Isn't it weird you two sharing a bed?" Scorpius suddenly asked Sarah and James, who looked at each other. Dom looked thoughtful and Becky curious. Lily and I looked interested as well. None of us ever dared ask before, but they had a weird close relationship since their actual relationship ended.

"I don't think so?" Sarah said uncertainly. "We've both got other people in our lives, just because we were together doesn't mean it stopped us being friends." She added, looking at us all, worry in her face as if we all thought she was utterly mad.

Apparently some of us did think they were mad.

"But you used to sleep together!" Dom argued incredulously. Lily wrinkled her nose from beside her, and Albus looked uncomfortable.

"Yeah, we're both adults, we can control ourselves." James said rolling his eyes. I almost laughed.

"Like I said, I'm with Danny and James has Amy – we are just sharing a bed, it's no more sexual than sharing a bottle of water" Sarah argued, raising an eyebrow as I passed Scorpius the water bottle I had just taken a sip from. Scorpius looked at me and I avoided his gaze.

"Well there we go, case closed" Lily said cheerfully to cut the awkward conversation to a close.

After that, it wasn't long before we turned in, yawning and wondering what excitement the next day would bring.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

Is it weird that I share a bed with my ex? I don't think so. Nothing has changed since we broke up except now instead of her being in love with me she's playing hide the sausage with the Adonis of our school, while I fantasise about her every day and night and pray for the day she leaves him and worships me with her body again instead.

Scorpius was right – it is a bit messed up. Sarah was currently going through her luggage, oblivious to my inner monologue.

Suddenly she tossed a tiny square packet to me over her shoulder from the floor as she rummaged through her things. I caught it but didn't have to look at it. She'd thrown packets like this at me many a time before in my sexually active life. I was pretty sure I knew what it was.

"Put this on will you? We've got to keep warm somehow so we might as well enjoy it." She said without looking at me.

"Are you serious?" I asked incredulously, hardly daring to believe my own luck. Could it be that she had become sick of her Greek-god boyfriend and wanted me and my love handles back?!

"Yeah, why not?" She said distractedly, still pawing through her clothes. I was down to my boxers in less than five seconds and Sarah turned around just as I was about to peel them down – my fingers were already in the waistband.

"_James!_" She hissed as soon as she saw me. I kept stripping and she covered her eyes.

What the hell was going on?!

"James for god's sake put some clothes on, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" She asked, standing up to face me and dropping the pyjamas she had pulled out of her luggage.

She took great care not to look down at me and her eyes were wide. I quickly pulled up my boxers (it was very cold in here) and blushed horribly.

I have an inkling I may have just done something _very_ embarrassing.

"I - but – you ... You wanted to have sex with me!" I said accusingly, bending down to grab my ripped jeans.

"How the hell did you work _that_ out?!" She asked in shock. I held up the little square packet to her without looking at it myself.

"_Salamander hot chocolate makes two cups. Add to boiling water and stir before drinking_." She read to me.

I flipped it over and looked at it, growing steadily redder in the face and neck. Oh great, I was now officially the lobster man. It's not like things could be worse or anything.

She laughed at my expression. My mistake, things were now worse. The girl I loved should (if I had my way) be clawing her nails up my back by now. But no, she was laughing because I wanted to have sex with her.

You could fry an entire English breakfast on my face, not just an egg.

"I'll make us a cup each, okay? Maybe get into bed." She suggested gently, still chuckling as she ducked out of the room, pyjamas in hand. I sat down on our bed and dropped my head into my hands.

I am a fool and an idiot and a moron and a plonker. They tell you love makes you go a bit lala but I had better check into the nearest loony bin because I have taken the biscuit when it came to being a nutter.

"Here you go." Sarah said, coming back in with two steaming cups of hot chocolate.

I took mine gratefully and she sat down next to me and took a sip of her chocolate. She then put it down and put both arms around me in a kind of sideways hug. I swallowed so much hot chocolate that it must have blistered my throat and mouth as I fumbled to put the half-empty cup down in order to hug her back. She squeezed me tightly. This was _really_ not helping my ego. Or anything else for that matter.

"You're a bit mad aren't you, love." She stated softly. I nodded.

"That's me. I'm sorry I'm an idiot, you don't have to tell me" I said. She looked up at me.

"I wasn't going to. You're my Jamie." She said the last bit so quietly that it might have been to herself. But I heard it, and my heart swelled.

She smiled and winked at me and then withdrew her arm. I grinned all over my face as she took her cup and got into bed beside me. I turned over in bed and clicked the lantern off. She was propped up on her elbow looking at me, I could tell because the moonlight was spilling in through the shack single-pane window and making her skin look impossibly smooth and her hair ridiculously sleek and shiny. She was looking at me – I knew from the way her eyes were glittering like stars in the moonlight.

"Why were you so eager to get me into bed anyway?" She asked with a laugh after a minute. I sighed and snuggled down into my sleeping bag. We were now eye to eye and I could see her eyes darting between both of mine.

"Because you're gorgeous." I said, too quickly. It was only partly the reason, obviously. I loved her more than I had the courage to admit, even to myself.

But I thought that telling the truth might scare her off, seeing how she wasn't my girlfriend, but some other guy's and she didn't love me back anymore. Plus she broke my heart, and there was absolutely no way it was ever going to heal with her so close and yet so bloody far away. But honestly? I didn't want it to heal by moving on. I wanted her to heal it by coming back and loving me until all the agony, the humiliation, the inadequacy and the insecurity went away.

God, I sound like a right pillock. James Potter, you my son have gone soft.

But I can't help it. My whole body aches when she's around. _Every single part_ cries out for her. I feel unbelievably lost and sad when she's not around and ridiculously, exceptionally happy when she's close. Even better when she touches me and on the recent, rare occasions that we've kissed, even though she's detached from me, it makes me feel absolutely out-of-this-world happy.

Pathetic, aren't I?

"Oh." Sarah said simply. I couldn't hear any edge to her voice but her radiant face, bathed in pale moonlight, looked almost...disappointed.

"Plus, I haven't had sex in about a year." I added.

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME?!

I blushed again and thanked the gods it was dark as Sarah stared at me.

"We broke up in January, Jay. Almost a year ago... You could have had anyone." She said quietly.

Oh great, she pitied me now. The only way this could get worse is if I pissed the bed or start crying or dribbling or told her I loved her or something.

"Don't you think I know that? I just... I don't want to shag anything with a pulse, y'know?" I said uncomfortably.

It's not usually uncomfortable between us, in fact mostly the complete reverse, but the way I feel about her is pushing her away, even though what I really wanted was the polar opposite.

"I understand, Jay." She said. I felt like she really did.

"It's so cold." She added, snuggling deeper into me, teeth chattering.

I thanked her silently because didn't ask questions about why I hadn't slept with Amy or even state aloud that I must not care about Amy at all since I was so eager to have sex with the goddess in front of me.

"Can I be of assistance, Madam?" I asked with a grin. She looked up at me from where the duvet was pulled up to her eyes.

"We'll keep each other warm." She said sleepily.

I've never been so glad to do something in my whole life, I thought as I rolled over and she spooned me, her hand resting on my hip.

As soon as the blood reluctantly returned to my brain, I slept better that night than I had since before she left me.

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

"Come on everyone, the portkey just fell through the roof. Presumably Granddad has no further use for this shack." Albus said cheerfully from outside our door. Scorpius moved from behind me in our bed and withdrew his arm from around my waist.

"Merry Christmas" I whispered, turning over to face him. He grinned.

"Merry Christmas Rosie" He replied, smiling sleepily.

"Merry Christmas Baby" He added, pulling up the duvet and giving my stomach a little wave.

I don't think I've ever seen something so cute and to avoid turning on the waterworks, I leapt out of bed with the kind of energy I wish I'd had yesterday and flung the door open to see everyone gathered around the kitchen sink, furiously brushing their teeth.

"Merry Christmas!" Becky squealed, hugging Albus and giving him a squeeze. He grinned and gave her a peck on the cheek, flushing.

Ahh, now I knew why they were brushing their teeth and quickly joined them over the sink. There was going to be mistletoe and therefore kissing.

T'was only polite to make yourself minty fresh for the day.

James grabbed Dom and hugged her, dropping a kiss on her head and confusingly wishing her a happy Halloween before he passed her over to Albus and gave Becky a quick kiss. Scorpius hugged Sarah and she dropped a kiss on the corner of his mouth and he grinned at her, squeezing her arm as he pulled away to be bombarded by a festively dressed Dom. I threw myself into Lily's arms and she wished me a happy Christmas into my shoulder. I could hear the smile in her voice and when I let her go, Scorpius was suddenly in front of her, swooping her into a tight hug and patting her back fondly while James made a beeline for Sarah and planted a smacker right on the lips. She shook her head, trying to look stern but smiling despite herself, taking in his mischievous grin and found her way into Albus' arms, giving him a fond kiss on the cheek.

"We'd better save _some_ hugs for the family, come on, grab your shit," I said eventually, although I was smiling.

Most of us were still in our pyjamas, but seeing as it was half past seven, I doubted anyone but Nana would be awake to see us.

Two minutes later we gathered around the portkey and all took hold. We were granted one last fleeting look at our refuge house before we spun into the familiar yard of The Burrow.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Hey guys, sorry it's been a bit late but I haven't had internet for a while! This is the first time i've been able to get online. Thanks for alll the reviews, you all know what's coming up! Hope you enjoy it - as usual I would love to hear your thoughts :D -Sarita x_**


	28. Chapter 27: The Most Wonderful Time

**Chapter 27: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year**

"Morning everyone," Nana greeted us in from the garden in a hushed voice, pulling her dressing gown around herself to provide some more shelter from the icy wind. She ushered us in and we filed in one by one and smiled fondly as we trudged upstairs.

Flinging myself upon my bed, I closed my eyes for a brief second, and awoke what felt like mere seconds later to Sarah's gentle hand on my shoulder, the other hand putting in a dangly broomstick earring in her ear.

"Come on Ro, it's nearly nine." She said softly, smoothing her hair down over her shoulders.

She was wearing a red jumper with a moving reindeer on it, and simple black flared jeans. Her makeup was light, as was her perfume, and when Becky appeared in front of me too, I realised nobody else had gone back to sleep, at least in the girls rooms. Becky's thin, pale hair was wet and hanging around her shoulders, dripping occasionally. She was wearing a blue jumper with falling snowflakes on it, and by the expression on her face, the wool was itching considerably. I sat up against my wishes and stumbled around the room, pulling on a green Quidditch jumper that nana had made for me several years ago and some black combat trousers. Becky pulled my hair back into a loose bun at the nape of my neck while Sarah waved her wand and her makeup brushes sprang to life, dusting powder on my eyelids and slicking a pinky-brown gloss on my lips.

"Our parents aren't even dressed yet, I wouldn't worry about rushing too much. Even nana took a cup of tea and a crossword from Witch Weekly and went back to bed." Dom said lazily, wandering into the room, pulling at her own pink jumper.

"We can at least help her with the veg," Sarah said, waving her brushes away back into her makeup bag.

I thanked her as we wandered downstairs, meeting James on the second landing in a very festive tinsel headdress and a glittering golden snitch bouncing around his jumper. Scorpius and Hugo met us on the next landing, Albus just shutting the door and turning around to greet us as I pulled my brother into a forced hug, kissing his head.

"Dominique!" A familiar voice called. Dom visibly cringed – she preferred the shortened version of her name.

"Vicky!" Dom said, injecting poison to the name as she addressed her older sister who stood, beautiful as ever, at the bottom of the stairs. Victoire pulled her little sister into a hug nonetheless before holding her at arms length to look at her.

"You know I hate 'Vicky'" She chastised, but with a smile.

"And_ you_ know I hate 'Dominique'" Dom replied with a crooked grin that reminded me a lot of Uncle Bill. They hugged again and Teddy came out of the kitchen with shocking red hair with gelled green spikes intermittently sticking up upon his head.

"Thought I'd get a bit festive" He grinned, green eyes twinkling as he pulled all of us into hugs one by one.

More and more family appeared to be arriving – Percy, his American wife Audrey and their two daughters, Molly and Lucy, appeared next, hugging us all at random. We only realty see them at holidays as they attend the same school that Audrey did in America – The Salem Witches Institute, a prestigious school and college with a modern take on magic with classes in Wicca and less emphasis on using brooms for Quidditch but for mobility.

Uncle George and Angelina arrived next, our cousins Fred and Roxy in tow. Fred immediately disappeared with James while Roxy found Lily, Molly and Lucy and went off to concoct love potions of some description most probably.

With all my family milling around I was fast realising how many people I would shock with my news.

* * *

><p>"To the chef!" Granddad said, raising his glass, some whiskey spilling over the side.<p>

"To nana!" We all shouted, raising our own glasses.

"Merry Christmas everyone," mum said, smiling as she sipped her mulled mead and all our plates were whisked away by several wands to the sink where they vigorously began washing themselves.

We were all stuffed and everyone began to get to their feet and dissipate once more to inspect our presents again. I had received new clothes from mum and dad, and I bit back tears, knowing I'd have to doctor them with magic to fit my changing body into them. I received a load of books, potion ingredients and Quidditch care kits from Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, Fleur and Bill bought me some flowery perfume, Percy and Audrey got all of us American wizarding candy and strange 'Bertie Botts Every Flavour Sodas' which we drank tentatively. Luckily, mine was a safe combination of toffee and vanilla, but James was unlucky enough to get a roast chicken flavour one, which was an odd taste in a drink to say the least. Uncle George gave all of us joke shop gifts. Teddy and Victoire gave me a pyjama set with matching socks and a little bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion for special occasions. James, Dom, Becky, Scorpius, Albus, Sarah and I retreated to the boy's room to exchange our own gifts.

I had bought Becky several rare potions ingredients and a necklace, Dom a set of transferrable moving tattoos, a hair dyeing kit which works like a mood ring, James a lot of joke gifts, including underwear which exploded (safely) every few hours before repairing itself, Sarah some amethyst runes and some new black, silver and red Quidditch gloves. Albus seemed happy with the brass cauldron I got him, as well as the bezoars and crystal phials, while Scorpius hugged me for the sterling silver and emerald serpent cufflinks I got him. I received collectively a lot of maternity clothes and Honeydukes finest selection of chocolates, some joke 'WIDE LOAD' stickers from James 'to stick on my arse' apparently, and the girls got me makeup. Scorpius shockingly presented me with a lion necklace which moved slightly every few minutes and purred quietly every so often.

Well, it is the most wonderful time of the year…

* * *

><p>"See you over the summer!" We waved as Audrey, Percy and the girls flew from view.<p>

George, Angelina, Roxy and Fred had gone back two days before, Uncle George saying that over in Germany they expect business to resume as usual almost as soon as Christmas finishes. They had moved out there almost seven years ago now, right before Fred would have started Hogwarts.

Everyone seemed to be clearing out – although dad had asked everyone whether they'd be coming to his annual New Year's Eve party at the Basilisk Fang, only the usual suspects would be coming. With only two days to go until the alcoholic party of the year and all of my friends having gone home to see their families, I was bored, boredity bored.

Thankfully, James, Lily and Albus were still here as well as Teddy and Victoire, who cornered me the day before New Year's Eve.

"We've got a date for the wedding Rosie!" Teddy said happily, clutching his future bride to his side and beaming with happiness, his hair colour changing subtly from sandy blonde to light red with excitement.

He and Victoire had been engaged for three years now, much to Victoire's frustration, seeing as she had been planning her and Teddy's wedding since she was about 10.

"Brilliant, when?" I asked, looking between the both of their beaming faces.

"April 14th. And we'd love for you to be a bridesmaid!" Victoire said, unable to contain herself.

"Oh...really?" I said, sounding none too thrilled. Victoire's face fell.

"What's wrong, don't you want to be bridesmaid?" She asked, lip wobbling.

Oh Christ. What am I supposed to say; 'I would love to be a bridesmaid but I'll be about 7 months pregnant then so I'll look like a beached whale being dragged up the aisle by some poor bloke. Sorry and all that.'

I don't think so.

"I'm sorry, I have to go and... I just have to..." I mumbled before jogging to the stairs and sprinting as fast as my fat ankles could carry me. I ran into what was my dad's old room and sat on the bed, dissolving into tears.

Seconds later there was a tap-tapping at my door. I looked up and sniffed, wiping my tears away with my sleeve.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Ro, can I come in please?" Teddy's voice asked softly. When I didn't reply he opened the door slowly, giving me a chance to yell out. He shut it behind him and came over to me.

"This isn't about the wedding, is it." He stated. I shook my head.

"Are you ill? Or… depressed?" He asked softly.

"Actually Teddy, I'm not ill or depressed, well I am depressed actually. Very depressed. But only because your delightful cousin Scorpius decided to get me pregnant and now I'm with child. But don't worry because both me and my unborn child will be dead within seconds of telling mum and dad."

Yes, that is what I wanted to say.

What I actually said, (well, _sobbed_) was less dramatic. If announcing your teen pregnancy can be anything short of dramatic.

"Teddy, I think I'm pregnant!" I squealed. Obviously it was a lie; I knew I was pregnant for sure. Teddy looked at me, mouth agape.

"What?" He spluttered.

"I'm pregnant." I repeated, dabbing at my eyes. Teddy still starred.

"What?!" He parroted again, his hair blaring colours like a disco light, from purple to green to jet black before settling on brilliant white, his eyebrows changing the same bright colour. It would have been funny were I not in hysterical tears. I sighed, my baby hormones were making me angry and frustrated.

"I'm up the duff, there's a bat in my cave, I've got a bun in the oven, this eggo is preggo, I'm in the family way...I'm _**expecting**_**!**" I all but screamed before dissolving into sobs.

* * *

><p>"Who- but, how the hell… When… Oh hell." Was all he could muster, casting charms around the room to keep the conversation private.<p>

"Scorpius Malfoy is the father," I said simply, knowing that was everyone's first question.

He nodded stiffly, not saying anything.

"All my friends know – James, Al, Lily, Dom, Sarah and Becky. Scorpius knows, but he thinks the baby is someone else's."

"And could it be anyone else's?" He asked neutrally.

"No." I replied certainly.

"Do your parents know?"

"No."

"Do his?" he asked just as suddenly.

"No." I replied without a doubt.

"They're going to find out sooner or later you know Ro." He said. I nodded.

"I'm not ready yet, I'm just not ready." I replied, shaking my head, fresh tears falling.

"They're going to notice." I nodded again. He checked his watch and he regained composure, his hair and eyebrows returning to red.

"I'm going to tell Victoire. She's going to have to know to have your dress altered – she won't tell a soul." He dropped a kiss on my head and left in shock, leaving me alone.

* * *

><p>After recovering from the realisation that two more of my close circle had found out my secret, I kept myself to myself. As of this morning, though, I'm having a real motherly day. I've already cooked two batches of biscuits and two Victoria sponge cakes, partly to take my mind off things, and partly because I had to do <em>something<em> at 6.00 in the morning, since baby woke me up. Now that my cousins have woken up, Dom (who came back over with Bill, Fleur and Louis two hours ago in preparation for New Years Eve) was icing some biscuits to look like Christmas trees and James was 'helping' me measure the ingredients while Lily and Sarah (who arrived this morning again too) cleaned up behind me.

"Don't eat that Beck! It's butter!" Lily says quickly as Becky picks up what looks like cheese and raises it to her mouth. Becky really likes cheese at Christmas, even in the morning apparently.

"Mmm?" James asks, his mouth full.

I turn to see him stood leaning against the counter with a stick of butter in his hand. For what feels like ten minutes, we all stare at James in astonishment. To make it _even weirder_, if possible, Albus saunters in, bare-chested and tousled and spies James and his snack.

"Ooh, butter…give." He says, taking the stick from James. The result is a five minute scrap that Dom banishes to the garden.

Boys can't all be this mental surely?!

* * *

><p>"I like that colour Sarah." I said later that night as I squeezed myself into a bottle green velvet dress, after motivating myself to shave my legs and pluck my eyebrows.<p>

She was applying shiny scarlet lipstick which matched her satin dress, and pressing her lips together. Dom was wearing a light pink, floaty dress with sequins and applying false eyelashes with her wand.

"Thanks, I bloody love that dress Becks" she replied, noticing Becky, whose pale blue butterfly-patterned dress was calf length and thick. Her thin hair was half up, half down.

"Hey guys, dad says we'd better get there soon or the Malfoys will be left waiting outside the pub." Lily said nervously from the doorway, dressed in a teal-blue long top and leggings. Her hair was curly and thick and her eyes were smoky. The overall effect was dramatic – she no longer looked nervous and innocent as the makeup gave her a stern, sexy look. She looked very pretty but I didn't like it – she was my baby cousin and she should be bare-faced.

God I sound like my dad.

"You look lovely, Lils." Sarah said, crossing the room and squeezing her shoulder as she passed her and surveying her with her kind, brown eyeshadow-contoured eyes. Apparently she met Albus on the landing because I could hear shy spluttering outside as he tried to compliment her. Becky's face fell as she looked at herself in the mirror. She smoothed her dress, pouted her pink- glossed lips and left after Sarah.

"Poor Becky." Dom said quietly, almost under her breath to me and Lily, who had stepped up to the mirror beside Dom, who was now applying golden bronzer on her high cheekbones.

"Why?" Lily asked, oblivious, the innocence showing through her made-up face.

"Never mind. Come on, we'll be late" I said, leaving the room, dragging an obsessively vain Dom after me.

* * *

><p>"Deal us all in then Ron." Harry said over the music in the pub.<p>

Draco Malfoy smirked in a way that brought me to realise how similar he was to his son, who was sat opposite me. It may be weird that the Malfoys, Potters and Weasleys now spend New Years Eve together, but like I've said mum used to work with Astoria at the Ministry and when they were both bridesmaids for a mutual friend of theirs, they were firm friends ever since. Dad and Harry kind of have to put up with him and the two of them and Draco have a weird relationship where they pretend they don't like each other, although the banter that comes out when they've had a few to drink is hilarious.

"I see you've exterminated the Doxy infestation you had" Auntie Luna said dreamily looking in the top right corner of the room, above the bar.

"They were biting Teddy all the time, I had to do something." Dad replied with a shrug.

"We just get plain old rats at home" Ginny said. Harry shrugged in a way that said 'what can you do, eh?'

The table was huge and we were all sat around after having been paired up by Lily, whose turn it was to choose our teams of two this year. Unsurprisingly, she reverted to her (almost lethal) cupid ways and paired Scorpius with me, Becky with Albus and James with Sarah. Dom was with Lorcan Scamander and Lily herself was with Lysander. Mum and Astoria were paired up and Ginny and Luna were to be a team. Uncle Harry was, purely for Lily's amusement, paired with Draco Malfoy, whereas dad was paired with the dreamy Rolf, Luna's husband. Everyone over 15 was allowed to play this wizarding general knowledge game, anybody under was looked after by Teddy and Victoire, who were at home 'babysitting' Hugo and Louis. I don't envy them.

Several hours in saw us all (except me) a lot of drinks down, with the clock saying it was half past ten.

"Hermione, which government organisation was established in the same year as the Salem Witch Trials took place in America?" Astoria asked.

"The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy!" Mum answered happily, giggling with the effect of her gillywater. Astoria whooped and their piece on the board moved forward by itself.

"You're up now dad!" James said with a grin, looking at Draco and Harry, who had both become fiercely competitive against their wives and families.

Who would have thought that a board game could unite two former enemies…?

The dice rolled itself and the centre glowed and a tiny bottle of potion rose out of the board.

"Veritaserum round!" Luna, Ginny and mum chimed drunkenly. Sarah giggled from the corner, sipping her firewhiskey and James has his arm around her shoulders. She appeared not to care.

"I nominate Ginny to ask Draco a question!" Harry said, grinning at his wife, who smiled devilishly.

Draco warily drank the potion, his pale cheeks coloured with pink due to the sheer amount of alcohol that had been consumed.

"Out of all of the people here, excluding your lovely wife, who have you kissed under the enchanted mistletoe?" Ginny asked. I didn't see my mum's face turn to panic.

"Hermione Weasley!" Draco answered immediately, looking alarmed at the strength of the potion. Ginny fell about in her chair cackling while the rest of us, including Astoria, laughed hysterically. We couldn't picture it.

"What?!" Dad asked suddenly with a shocked laugh, eyebrows disappearing into his hair.

"Harry enchanted the mistletoe a few years ago and Hermione and Malfoy got caught in it!" Ginny laughed. "Took him long enough to give her a kiss!" She added, smacking mum playfully on the arm.

"Next round please!" Draco said, although he was smirking.

God, it seems some things are hereditary. Like kissing a Malfoy…

* * *

><p>"God James, give it a rest, anyone would think you didn't like your girlfriend or something!" Sarah slurred as us teens milled around outside.<p>

The parents had started passing around photos of their younger days and remarking nostalgically how we all looked like them. When Ginny started crying and it turned into maniacal, drunken laughter at about half eleven we took ourselves outside before it got even weirder.

"I don't, you're my foxy boxy sock!" James replied, swaying drunkenly on the spot as they both giggled.

"You going to kiss me at midnight?" He asked her, bouncing his eyebrows up and down and pointing up to his hair, where he had tied a sprig of mistletoe.

"Nope!" Sarah grinned, shaking her head vehemently, her hair flicking around.

"Five minutes to go everyone!" Dom screeched with a giggle.

"Ohhhhh go on, I'm your favourite ex boyfriend _ever_!" James whined, falling backwards and leaning against the pub wall.

"Nope nopity no!" Sarah grinned gleefully, leaning on a drunk and recovering Lily, who had been sick twice but was still drinking and singing Celestina Warbeck whenever she didn't have alcohol or vomit in her mouth.

I realised I had less tolerance for drunk people when I wasn't one of them.

"Two minutes!" Becky said, her eyes half closed as she leaned against a lamppost, wobbling on her heels.

"Al, hold her up?" I said to my cousin, who was almost as sober as me. He wasn't as much of a drinker as his brother. He did so loyally, steadying Becky's arm on him.

"One minute!" I said afterwards with a smile, feeling the spirit of the New Year already. We all looked up to the clock tower in the centre of Hogsmeade.

"Ten… nine…eight…seven…six….five…four…three…two…_one_! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" We all said in unison.

I was stopped from 'ooohing' and 'ahhing' at the magical fireworks that were being simultaneously let off from all around the village by someone's soft but firm lips on mine, pushing me back into a wall. I opened my eyes when the kiss ended and saw Scorpius in front of me, looking hopeful. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him into another kiss.

What an ironic way to start the New Year.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sorry about the loooong update time (again!) It's very weird writing about Christmas when it's still warm and sunny! Thanks for all the reviews, I really do take them all into consideration and quite often I edit my chapters to accommodate for queries or suggestions or criticism, all of which I have had and amended chapters for! Enjoy, and review! :) –Sarita x


	29. Chapter 28: Front Page News

**Chapter 28: Front Page News**

"My head still hurts from new years…" Sarah moaned as we stood on the platform three days later. Everyone still looked ill, and it was with glee that I thanked my stars I couldn't drink at the moment. James, Lily and Al hadn't turned up yet, but someone else was arriving…

I could see the blonde standing just across the platform with his dad. I slipped away from mum while she jogged over to my Aunt Ginny, who smiled genuinely and hugely and hugged her. They miss their time together since us kids selfishly got in the way.

I decided it would be nice to go and see my secret baby-daddy. Scorpius has obviously decided he is going to talk to me after our new years snog and was coming over to meet me as well, Draco staring in surprise. I don't think he knows me and Scorpius have kissed and made up since we lost to them at the game on new years. Admittedly I did overreact to him not knowing why unicorns prefer girls and beat him around the head with the nearest beer mat, but that's not the point.

"Hey Rosie" Scorpius said fondly, blue eyes all twinkly like stars. _Swoooon._

"Hi Scorp." I said in a casual way, holding my hand to shake like he's a business partner or something. He smiled down at my hand and pulled me into a rib-cracking hug.

"I was going for a handshake" I murmured in his ear.

"Oh _that's_ why your hand is pressed against my crotch." Scorpius mumbled back. Smooth, Rosie. Really slick.

"Scorpius, what are you doing?" An irritated voice snapped. We broke apart and Chelsea's narrowed, cold eyes met mine.

"Well we, I er…" He tailed off.

_He's the father of my baby and I think I'm in love with him_! I shouted in my head, though I remained calm on the outside.

"Come on." She said, pulling him away. Scorpius looked apologetically over his shoulder at me and once he had sauntered back to Draco to collect his trunk and Eagle owl, Chelsea turned on me.

"I am _this close_ to figuring out your secret, Weasel. When I do, the whole world is going to hear it from me." She hissed, getting close to me.

"Problem?" Sarah's voice asked coolly from behind us both. From her height she looked down on the petite Chelsea. I raised an eyebrow at the blonde.

"Bring it." I said to her, recklessly fearless in the face of danger, as ever.

I am Rose Weasley, damn it, daughter of borderline genius and general feminist heroine Hermione Granger. Nobody is going to scare me!

* * *

><p>"I'm scared." I said half an hour later as we pulled our robes over our clothes.<p>

"Don't let Chelsea see." Dom advised.

"Obviously not. What if she finds out, how do I act cool?"

"Just fake it! Girls fake loads of things don't you?" James said casually, sitting back down and turning to Sarah.

"More than you'll ever know darling." She said with a wink. James looked put out.

We were in our dormitory within the hour, and after having lunch we strolled down to the lake.

Dom had made a lame excuse and didn't come with us, but Becky, Al, Sarah, Lily, Danny, James, Scorpius and me all made our way down. I had no idea how Scorpius had got rid of Chelsea, but she was probably plotting some horrible way to get to me with Amy, who was also absent.

Danny didn't seem in the best of moods by the way he was stomping down to the lake, kicking up clods of earth with his trainers.

"Anybody want to see if the Giant Squid wants to play?" James asked, tossing a rock into the black waters. Danny grumbled something under his breath and James looked over at him quizzically as we laid our stuff down and sat on the ground, in the sandy banks of the lake.

"Sorry?" James asked genuinely.

"I said you're such a dick." Danny snapped finally, colour flooding his cheeks. Sarah's eyebrows disappeared into her hair and she looked at her boyfriend as if seeing him for the first time.

"What?" She asked, more shocked and uncertain than angry.

"I heard about him trying to get on you all New Years Eve!" Danny replied, stopping walking and facing James.

"I didn't say anything about new years… nothing happened!" Sarah piped up, looking horrified. My eyes caught Lily's and she looked ashamed.

Apparently the habit of playing cupid is a hard one to break – she must have been stirring to get her brother back with Sarah.

Great.

"Mate, I've got a girlfriend…" James said lamely, even though it must have sounded like a weak argument even to himself. Danny obviously had the same opinion.

"Bollocks!" He replied. "You just want to get your paws all over Sarah again… it's pathetic, why can't you just move on… you can see she's happy!" he continued hotly, his cheeks flushed with anger.

"Oh yeah, what was it you called my relationship with her last term – a mistake?" James retorted equally as fiercely. "I've got news for you – she was with me for over a year. She lost her virginity to me in my bed – the one you sleep opposite every night!" James added triumphantly.

Sarah let out a shocked and affronted little squeak and Lily and I exchanged worried glances. Scorpius had a hard expression on his face, like he was steeling himself for something, but I had no idea what until Danny reached to the front of his shirt and ripped it in half, clean down the middle, pulling it off completely. I didn't actually know people did this in real life.

It seems men can _smell_ a fight coming, because James did the same in one smooth motion and the two began sizing each other up, flexing muscles and circling like hungry wolves. Albus shifted his weight, ready to jump into the fray, while Scorpius was already setting the rest of his things down ready to fight too.

I began to feel more than faint stirrings of unease and automatically stepped back, a hand on my stomach. We all knew how muggle fistfights between James and anyone ended, and you would not like to see the other guy after them. However, he seemed to have met his match in the muscled, stocky Danny. Becky was looking uneasy, halfway between protecting me and my little bump and joining in the would-be fight.

Sarah, however, had set down her things and was watching the two men with a set expression of anger and determination.

Oh Christ... this didn't look good.

Danny took a step towards James, flexing his muscles threateningly. James, who was already beginning to sweat, looked at Sarah quickly and beseechingly, and as soon as his eyes were on her, Danny sprung, knocking James off his feet. Albus let out an indignant cry of foul play and jumped on Danny's back. Scorpius was close behind and the two dragged Danny off James, who leapt to his feet and launched himself at Danny, knocking his brother and Scorpius down with him.

James and Danny rolled on the floor, both sporting injuries, and when they both scrambled to their feet, Scorpius and Albus both looked like they would very much like to re-enter battle. I sprinted forward, ignoring Becky and Sarah's cries and dragged a tatty and exhausted Scorpius backwards, both falling over as we went. Sarah meanwhile, was struggling with Albus, who was shouting incoherently about helping his brother. She managed to get him away from the fight, which was getting more and more violent. Danny kicked out at James, who blocked him with a punch to the stomach and while Danny was bent double, he took a step back to catch his breath. Scorpius and I got to our feet and I grabbed his hand tightly in order to take him away. There was a gash above his left eyebrow and his clothes were ripped. Meanwhile, Sarah was struggling to hold Albus back, and had her arms around his shoulder behind him. She managed to get herself around so she was facing him and was talking to him soothingly. Lily helped wrestle him to the floor when he made to run past her, back in to help his brother.

"Boys!" Sarah cried, approaching them. Unfortunately, there was nobody to hold her back, since I was with Scorpius and Becky with Albus. She took another step forward.

"DANNY!" She roared. The two boys didn't hear her, and were now engaged in a wizard duel. James sent a purple flash towards Danny and it caught his upper arm, leaving a bloody cut. Danny sent a curse back at him, and James ducked and rolled, the curse hit the floor and caused a minor explosion, clods of earth shooting everywhere. Sarah took a step towards James, and accidentally stepped in between a few spells at once and none of us saw what happened next, or in fact where the numerous spells came from, since there was mud and dust floating everywhere in the air.

"STOP!" Albus cried and somehow rolled out from under Becky and towards Sarah, who was lying on the floor, her hair spilling all over her face. I couldn't see her chest moving with breathing and heard a chilling scream hit the air, until I realised it was me making it.

Albus had reached Sarah and Danny and James were making their way towards her. Albus scraped the hair off her face and leant close towards her, trying to see whether she was breathing. He looked back at us with sheer terror in his eyes and I dropped to the floor, screaming again. Scorpius held me down, mouth agape in horror and made sure I couldn't run towards her. Danny and James had fallen at her side on their knees and were both sported bloody faces. James wiped the blood from his own and grabbed her shoulders and shook her lightly.

"Sarah?" He said desperately. Albus fumbled for her neck, looking for a pulse.

"I can't feel anything." He cried in a shaky voice.

"No, no no no!" Danny cried, looking down in horror, grabbing his hair. James stared at her and was trembling violently as he surveyed her through dazed eyes.

"We have to get her to the hospital wing!" Scorpius cried, as I dissolved into frightened tears, against my better nature. I was imagining the worst case scenario of her lying, young and beautiful, in a coffin. Danny made to pick her up, but Albus got there first, and scooped her carefully up in his arms with little difficulty and stood. He looked down at him and James with cold eyes.

"I think you've done enough damage for today don't you?" He asked frostily.

Lily got to her feet, making no attempt to stem the frightened stream of tears falling down her cheeks and ran after Albus, who was walking as fast as possible towards the castle, James hot on his heels and Danny was left still knelt in the mud and dust, shock and fear in his eyes. Scorpius helped me to my feet and we hurried towards the others, still hand in hand.

* * *

><p>"What in the name of Merlin happened here?!" Hissed professor Hart, her thin face contorted in rage.<p>

She was speaking to us outside the Hospital Wing, where Sarah was in a deep, induced sleep. She had been hit by a combined Rictusempra and a Stupefy spell and apparently a combination of the two induce a heavy sleep. She was physically unhurt and we had no idea when she would wake up, but the immediate danger of death was thankfully allayed.

Lily hiccoughed and sniffed at the same time. Albus put his arm around her and James stood, staring without seeing at the door, knowing Sarah was behind it. Danny was sporting a bandaged head and sticky knuckles due to the various ointments to clear up the cuts and bruises. James seemed unperturbed by his injuries, as did Scorpius, who was still gripping my sweaty hand as if his life depended on it.

"High spirits. An accident." Becky lied easily.

"We were practising duelling." Scorpius added.

"James cast a defence spell and it ricocheted." I said.

A weird phenomenon in our 'pack' – we look after each other. Although by the disapproving look Albus was giving James and Danny, he wasn't happy about it.

Professor Hart looked at us all with a cast iron gaze.

"Go." She said finally.

"No more duelling… even if it does run in the family." She said, lips pursed, looking at James.

* * *

><p>"At least she's ok." I said over dinner to James, who was ignoring his food and staring into his pumpkin juice.<p>

"She easily couldn't have been." Albus said, shaking his head in disgust.

"Not helping, Al." I sighed.

"At least things can't get worse." Becky said, rubbing her temples.

I really wish she hadn't tempted fate like that.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please! I would like you all to look out for my father's paper tomorrow – in fact, pre-order it!" Chelsea's voice came across the hall, stopping us all mid-meal.

Even James looked up at her. She was stood upon the Slytherin table, looking me dead in the eyes. Amy, who was sat beside James, smirked and continued to eat, not looking behind her at Chelsea.

"I promise it will be the news of the century… the scandal of the year… the biggest story for decades!" She added, her wand pointed at her throat, the Sonorous charm in action to amplify her brittle voice.

"Thank you!" She added before jumping off the table after seeing Professor Hart making a beeline for her, anger from earlier still in her eyes.

James caught my eye. This cannot in any way be good.

"Rosie, get up. ROSE! GET UP NOW!" Dom screeched the next morning, waking me with a start, flinging a copy of the Daily Owl around the room, waving it under my nose, worry lining her face.

The editor, Graham Oxford, was Chelsea's father.

I strained my eyes into focus and saw Becky pacing behind Dom, looking stricken and worried. I focused on the paper and scanned the front page for mere seconds before letting out a strangled mix between a scream and a gasp for breath.

"**DOZY ROSIE UP THE DUFF!**_"_ The headline blared positively gleefully, with a picture of me underneath, looking up every so often then smiling at an unseen friend.

I barely heard myself screaming, before I fell backwards, losing breath, and fainted.

* * *

><p><em>DUN DUN DUN! Sorry it's been a while, I hope you like it! Please review! –Sarita x<em>


	30. Chapter 29: Facing Feelings

**Chapter 29: Facing Feelings**

"Your parents are on their way, Miss Weasley. They will be here at ten o clock via floo powder," Professor Hart explained before turning and leaving the girls dormitory.

Lily, Sarah, Becky and Dom were all sat on my bed with me, Sarah was rubbing my back soothingly and Lily was holding my hand and her eyes were wide as saucers. Becky was gently feeding me Honeydukes chocolate to calm me and Dom hurried out of the portrait hole as soon as the professor left, saying she was going to gather the boys. James burst into our dorm in his dog form almost immediately and jumped on the bed. He gave me the equivalent of a dog hug and I began to cry into his fur. To his credit, he neither transformed back into a human nor made a joke. He just sat there, his little dog heart beating against his ribs like a drum.

"Rose…" Scorpius breathed as soon as he and Albus bounded into the room and transfigured back into their human forms. I was off the bed in a second and I threw myself into his arms, sobbing like a nutter.

Quietly, Sarah ushered everyone out of the room and left Scorpius and me alone.

"…I hate being pregnant! None of my clothes fit properly, my parents are on their way here, I've not got a boyfriend and your bitch of a girlfriend just publically announced my pregnancy through a worldwide medium... It's just so hard!" I moaned, squeezing myself roughly against him and sobbing my little heart out on his nice-smelling hoodie.

"Well you're very pretty and you _are_ pressing up against me…" Scorpius smirked, although he sounded shell-shocked. I smacked him on the arm.

"You know that's not what I meant!" I said, glaring fiercely through tears at him. He just smirked. Shut up with the smirking you stupid smirky smirker.

"It could have been worse. She could have told everyone who the father is." He replied seriously.

I nodded slowly. I suppose that _is_ an upside…

"Who _is_ the father, Rosie?"

_There's_ the downside.

* * *

><p>"You're going to have to tell everyone who he is. You can start with all of us." Scorpius reasoned, innocently still believing that everyone else was as in the dark as he was. I wiped my tears slowly.<p>

I had to tell him. Finally, this was it.

"Sit down, Scorpius." I said quietly. He looked at me inquisitively. I sat down next to him and took his hand.

"Back in September… that night we spent together…" I said. His eyes darted quickly between mine. They were wide and scared. Neither of us said anything for a long time, though his grip on my hand was so tight it was almost painful.

"Mine." He said after five minutes of silence, quiet tears falling easily down my face.

"…Yours…" I replied. His face hardened and a muscle in his jaw worked furiously, as if he were biting back words.

Biting them back didn't help for long before he exploded.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me the _second_ you found out? Why did you let me think it was Freddie's… that you'd been sleeping with him! **WHY** did you let me think you had been sleeping with other people… why let me even entertain the idea that it could be someone else's?!" He asked suddenly, getting to his feet and throwing my hand back at me.

He made the very points I had been torturing myself with ever since I found out. I should have told him… I should have told him…

I just sobbed silently and gazed up at him.

"I didn't think it was really h-happening to me…" I wept imploringly. I wanted him to hug me again.

I'm so selfish. I am stupid and careless and selfish and right now I am the very worst person walking the Earth.

"You let me come to the scan… you let me see it… you made a decision to keep it without consulting me first… without _respecting_ me enough to ask my opinion!" He shouted. He was looking horrified as he remembered more things.

"You'd want to – get rid – of it?" I sobbed, barely comprehensible. He looked down at me, shocked at the question.

"Don't start, Rose! Don't act like I should be acting like a father already… you just dumped this on me!" He snapped, before another thought struck him. "Does anyone know it's mine?!" He asked, very slowly, looking down at me.

He had a dangerous glint in his eyes… he knew he'd caught me.

"Everyone." I said almost inaudibly, not meeting his gaze. There was no point lying – he'd know if I was. He paced some more, opened his mouth a few times and closed it again, before he stormed from the room, and from sight.

* * *

><p><span>Scorpius<span>

Staring into the cauldron full of firewood beside the hearth in my common room, I hardly noticed a manicured hand passing something under my nose. I recognised it instantly as_ that_ copy of the Daily Owl.

"Hello _daddy_." Chelsea said in her poisonous voice. A venomous but humourless giggle came from behind her and without even looking up I knew it was Amy.

"How did you find out?" I asked numbly as she walked around to stand in front of me.

Her face was smug, and her hair and makeup were perfect. She must have woken up early to look presentable to gloat all day today. The thought that she'd been so calculating and so vicious shocked me to my core. I'd never met anyone so vindictive. She pointed over to the corner of the common room, where I recognised Freddie, who was sat, staring blankly into space.

"Veritaserum." Chelsea said, raising a groomed eyebrow. "Turns out Amy is very good at potions." She added, looking unflatteringly surprised. Amy herself looked grumpy as ever, arms folded as she looked around the room almost furtively. She looked almost….scared.

I shook my head, amazed at her cruelty and stood up in a daze not unlike Freddie's. I had to write to my mother – she didn't get the Daily Owl but I'd rather she found out from me rather than anyone else.

"I take it we're over then?" She called maliciously after my retreating back. "And I was _so_ looking forward to playing step-mum to her little ginger brat!" She added sweetly with a smile. I stopped dead and spun on my heel.

"Rose is daft and dopey and sometimes downright mental… She's fierce and proud and protective... She can be dense and selfish and bitchy, but she loves harder than anyone I know… And she's worth a thousand of you," I growled stepping towards her.

And with that I was gone, heading to the owlery to write the most difficult letter of my life.

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

"They'll be here in five minutes, Rose," Professor Hart assured me, checking her watch.

My parents were already ten minutes late. Sarah squeezed my hand. At about two in the morning she had awoken, feeling fine, but the Matron wouldn't let her leave until half seven. She passed me a third tissue. I blew my nose and we waited some more until I saw the fire spring to life. My stomach churned and the desire to run away was the strongest feeling I have ever felt in my life. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and my hands began to shake as my father, dressed in his normal work clothes with tousled hair and a scrunched up copy of The Daily Owl balled in his fist stepped into the room. A muscle was working in his jaw as he refused to look at me and my mother popped into existence and stepped out behind him, tear-tracks silver on her face. Hart motioned for them to take a seat opposite where me and Sarah sat, still shaking with nerves and what felt like a strong urge to vomit.

"What. Is. This." Dad asked through gritted teeth, thrusting the paper in front of me. He made it somehow not a question but an accusation. Mum laid a hand on his but he shook it off and smoothed out the newspaper.

"Says your pregnant, Rosie. _It says my little girl is pregnant_," Dad continued in a growl I'd never heard, finally looking me in the eyes. His exterior was stony and angry but his eyes were filled with disappointment and sadness.

Tears pooled in my eyes… it seems all I do nowadays is cry.

"It's true… it's true," I sobbed over and over again. Mum sniffed back her own tears and got up hurriedly from her chair to hug me. She clutched me to her chest and rocked me as my body wracked with sobs, soundless and heartfelt.

"How did this happen?" Dad asked exasperatedly, softening slightly in spite of himself as he watched our embrace.

"Shh…shh," Mum comforted me. "Sometimes these things happen," she said quietly to my father, who dropped his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. He appeared to have done all his shouting at mum this morning before he came, and all that was left was confusion and sadness.

Somehow, this was worse than if he had shouted at me.

I choked my breath back as dad said something to Professor Hart.

"W-what?" I asked as Hart shook her head.

"I said bring Freddie to me. He should be here to explain his part in this," Dad said, stabbing his finger into the table to emphasise the 'here'.

"He has _no_ part in this," I admitted. Sarah grabbed my hand tightly again as mum sat back down next to dad.

"I thought that might be why you'd broken up?" Mum said gently. I shook my head.

"Who _am_ I killing then?" Dad asked, bewildered.

"Nobody, Ronald," Mum said firmly, taking dad's hand. This time he squeezed it back instead of shrugging it off.

"I think what you father is trying to ask is… who the other significant party in this predicament is," Mum said, rubbing dad's back to calm him down from his murderous rampage.

"Yes. Who?" He asked doggedly.

"Scorpius," I replied. There's no point lying about it now.

I watched the blood drain from his face as he turned to my mother, the same shock mirrored in her face. It only intensified when the fire burst into life once more and a familiar figure stepped forward.

Draco Malfoy.

* * *

><p>"I trust you've seen this?" Dad asked loudly, standing up to eye level with Mr Malfoy.<p>

Astoria stepped from the fire, her hair matted and tousled as if she'd just risen from bed, or hadn't had any time to run a comb through her hair. Like my own mother she had tear tracks down her face and was clutching a copy of the offending paper in her shaking hand.

"Sit down Mr. Weasley, please." Professor Hart said firmly.

Dad dropped back into his seat, exhausted, and Hart conjured three more chairs. I allowed myself blankly to wonder who the third was for until a faint knock on the door revealed Scorpius, pale as a sheet and shaking with shock. Draco's angry eyes were boring holes into Scorpius' as he crossed the room. His mother pulled him into a hug, weeping through wide eyes with what appeared more like shock than anything else. Dad eyed him stonily the whole time, but didn't say a word.

"I will bring him back later. We would like to speak to our son at home," Draco stated, his jaw clenched. Hart looked reluctant but seemed to realise there was no point fighting it, and nodded stiffly.

He allowed himself a glance in my direction and I could have sworn his eyes softened at my pitiful face, drooping shoulders and puffy eyes. Astoria led her son into the fire, and he did not look at me before he spun away. She stepped in next and held a shaking hand of goodbye up to me and my mother, as we both watched her. My mother grabbed Draco's wrist as he passed her and he looked down at her, allowing worry to briefly cross his face before he smoothed his robes, and his expression, and spun out of sight.

* * *

><p><span>Scorpius<span>

Never before had I seen fireworks like the ones only my father could spout when angered. My mother sat in the corner, chin resting on her hands, staring blankly at the wall.

"How could you be so bloody _stupid_!?" He shouted after breaking most of the glass vases in our dining room.

"I doubt it was planned, darling…" My mother countered timidly, looking at me with nothing but disappointment in her eyes. Tears were spilling from my own, uncontrollably.

"What the hell has Hogwarts become…? The closest that school ever came to teenage pregnancies was kissing in the hallways!" My father asked himself more than anyone else, looking astounded and throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Out of all the bloody girls you could have chosen to get in a mess, it had to be her didn't it?" He growled at me, falling heavily into a chair.

"Ron will have your bollocks for this, you know that? We worked _so hard_ to make the past up to them!" He added, rubbing his temples.

"What would my father say, Scorpius!?" Dad added rhetorically.

"_What, you mean the same man who pronounced 'muggleborn' with the same general tones as 'cockroach'?" _I thought bitterly.

"I didn't – it wasn't… we…" I had no more words.

"I have no defence," I said simply, tears drying on my face, thankful that nobody at school could see me at my weakest moment… crying.

"What are you going to do?" Mum asked calmly. Dad looked up at me.

"She has to keep it. It wouldn't be safe anywhere else – it'd be the most famous baby for fifteen years." I replied.

"I see you've had time to think about it! How long have you known?!" Dad barked.

"I've known she was pregnant since before Christmas… I found out it was mine this morning," I said heavily, pulling out a chair and sitting down tentatively. My mother let out a little gasp of surprise.

"Why didn't she tell you?" She asked quietly, looking bewildered.

"I think she was scared," I answered, but really, I just don't know. I wonder why she didn't trust me enough to take me out of this black hole… away from my endless questions and my blind rage. I wonder why she didn't come to me like I had always wished she would and I could hold her and sort everything out before this point. I had never been needed by anyone in my life… not really… but I _need_ Rose. I just wish she needed me as much. I looked up at my parents as they took in this news.

Mum's face had softened in compassion and my father was staring into the corner of the room.

"I need some time to let this sink in." Dad said after a moment, dismissing me.

I just stared at him. I knew it was unreasonable, and I knew it was childish, and selfish and unrealistic, but I just wanted him to squeeze my shoulder and tell me it was all right. I wanted someone to tell me I didn't have to go through this on my own… someone to help me with the sudden weight on my shoulders. Rose has had months to prepare herself for telling her parents… I've had the hour that it took to send my mother an owl with a copy of The Daily Owl and a letter.

I wish she'd had the courage to tell me, to put me out of the misery of thinking she was going to be having Freddie's perfect baby. The idea of them staying together, a happy little family, was enough to stop me sleeping at night. The knowledge that with every night they spent together she was probably falling in love with him all over again put me into such a jealous rage that it was hard to concentrate on anything.

Later, maybe I'd be happy in a backwards way, that it was me, not him, who was going to be tied into her life forever.

But not yet.

* * *

><p>"Are you going to kick me out?" I asked my mother quietly once she had led my silently to my room and we sat down on my bed together. I knew my dad was horrendously angry and I knew how disappointed mum was in me, probably beyond words.<p>

"Of course not. I'm not happy about what you've done. And by 'you' I mean you and Rose together. But I will never kick you out."

"You're within your rights to. I won't hate you for it," I said even more quietly. I was trying to be fair on her and dad, but my mother pulled me into a cradling hug.

"I'm going to tell you a story, Scorpius," Mum said. I waited patiently, breathing in her faint motherly perfume.

"When I fell pregnant, your dad insisted on marrying on me, and for a long time I wondered whether we were only together because of you and what having a baby out of wedlock would do to his reputation. But one night we were talking and he said that having you made him face responsibility and face the fact that he loved me. He said it pushed him into realising his feelings. And maybe, just _maybe_, your baby will do the same for you and Rose," Mum said slowly.

Her insight was incredible – either that or it was obvious how I felt for Rose, and I doubted that.

She kissed me on the head and walked silently from my room and I lay down and stared at my bedroom ceiling. I had already realised my strong feelings for Rose. Could she face hers for me too?

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Sorry it took a while guys, I have literally been tweaking it every day since I last updated to make sure it got across all the right things... and some of the wrong ones too! I **really, really, really **hope you all like it. I don't know whether I am happy with it, but just remember that everyone coming to terms with it is a work in progress and can't be sorted out in one chapter, or even five. Please review, I'm so nervous! :) - Sarita x_


	31. Chapter 30: Intervening

**Chapter 30: Intervening**

Two weeks passed painfully. Scorpius hadn't spoken to me since I had last seen him, which made the four subjects we shared together impossibly awkward. Hugo and Lily were spending a lot of time together – Hugo had offered several times to break every bone in Scorpius' body, but I had calmly explained that it wasn't his fault he didn't want to talk to me, but mine.

Chelsea had been suspended from school for a month and was apparently getting her work sent home, but according to a letter Amy read loudly over dinner one night it was 'totally worth it.'

I had to stop both Sarah and Lily from slapping her right then.

Teddy, Aunt Ginny and Aunt Fleur, Nana and even Astoria had sent me owls over the days that followed the news. I had cried at every single one, and replied to none, until a fortnight to the day after the news broke. I had a scan booked that afternoon, and so that Saturday morning I walked in solitude to the Owlery and found a bench to sit on overlooking the grounds and got out the crumpled letters I had been keeping in my robes pocket for three days.

"_Ro-Ro,_

_Victoire says congratulations. I know it doesn't look like it now, but soon the bad times will be over and you'll have your own little baby. She says she's already had the alterations done on your bridesmaids dress sketch to make sure it's a good, stretchy material. She says she'll send it to you over the Easter holidays._

_Chin up,_

_Lots of love,_

_Teddy xxxx"_

It was easy to put quill to parchment for this one;

"_Dear Teddy & Victoire,_

_Thanks, I am getting through it on my own at the moment as Scorpius is avoiding me, but life can only get better. _

_It's good news about the dress._

_Thanks again,_

_Rose xx"_

Aunt Ginny, Fleur and Nana had written a letter together, and the gist of it was that I could contact them any time I wanted to talk. It took three reads to gather even that, through my tears. Aunt Ginny offered to meet me in Hogsmeade today, and so I sent her a quick note saying it would be later on in the day as I had a scan. Astoria's was the last note I opened to re-read;

"_My darling girl,_

_I will be coming into Hogsmeade next weekend. I was wondering if you'd like to meet me in the Three Broomsticks for a coffee and a chat. No reply necessary, but I will be there at half past four onwards. If you decide to come, it would mean a lot to me, but you obviously have a lot going on at the moment._

_Astoria Malfoy"_

Curiosity overpowered nerves, and it was this cocktail of emotion that drove me to pull out some parchment and scrawl;

"_Mrs Malfoy,_

_Next Saturday, half past four, Hogsmeade. I'll be there._

_Rose x"_

* * *

><p>I went to my scan alone, out of choice, and saw my baby again, this time bigger and more active. When I cried this time, it was out of misery tinged with awe at the little baby. My bump was swelling so that unless I had my baggy robes on, it could be seen in all my clothes. I suppose it was par for the course, as I was almost four months gone by now. Ginny hadn't said much but hugged me a lot and gave me a boxful of maternity clothes that nana had made for her when she was pregnant, and one baggy shirt with a red rose Nana had made especially for me. It made me cry again.<p>

"Dom, are you ready?" A familiar voice drifted over to where I sat at teatime later on.

I looked up to see Steve from the Quidditch team, who was stood holding his hand out for my cousin. They departed after a small, shy smile quite out of character for Dom.

"Are they dating?!" I asked, confused. Becky smiled and nodded.

"They've been meeting up in secret for weeks now apparently. Even I didn't know!" She said, shaking her head but smiling.

I raised my eyebrows, shocked at myself. I had been so self absorbed recently, I didn't have a clue what was going on. I had been more preoccupied with the fact that Scorpius would rather sit and eat on the same table as Amy than me.

Doesn't really get much worse than that.

It was another week before Scorpius spoke to me and even then it was not out of his choice, but rather in my defence…

"Fat cow!" Chelsea hissed as Becky and I passed her on our way to Herbology. I ignored the comment, emotionally exhausted as I was. Becky opened her mouth, her face reddening, but it was Scorpius who spoke up.

"Chelsea, just fuck off. You've done enough damage," he snapped as he and Albus caught up with me. Chelsea flounced off and Albus and Becky turned the corner towards the greenhouses after a quick glance at us while Scorpius and I slowed down and turned to each other.

"I'm so – sorry," I choked, tears spilling down my face. My eyes had barely recovered from the last time I had burst into tears (James had given me the last piece of his chocolate bar, and was quite alarmed at the waterworks.)

"I'm sorry for doing this to us… first we sleep together and I pretend it didn't mean anything, and then I date Freddie when I know you wouldn't like it… then I end up pregnant and don't tell you it's yours!" I howled, shaking with tears and falling backwards into the wall to support myself. Scorpius looked just as alarmed as James did earlier and patted me awkwardly on the shoulder.

"You dopey creature," He said with a sigh, the ghost of a smile on his face as he shook his head. I sniffed and wiped my face on my sleeve.

"Rose. It isn't your fault. We should have been more careful," he added seriously, his hand still on my shoulder as he looked into my eyes. I nodded.

"You mean it shouldn't have happened?" I asked, curious. I finally admitted to myself that I was scared to hear the answer, and how hurt I would be if he thought it was a total slip-up.

"I'm glad it happened." He touched my cheek tentatively, "just because it was an accident doesn't mean it was a mistake," he sighed.

"That's all I can say about it today," he added honestly. I nodded slowly, tears drying. I understood perfectly that he wasn't about to ignore me for weeks then spill his heart to me.

"_Emotions don't work like that, as I well know,"_ I thought drily as he led me into the classroom.

* * *

><p>As we all filed out of Herbology an hour later, I was stopped by Professor Longbottom.<p>

"Here, Rose. It's from Hannah," he said kindly, pushing a tiny baby outfit towards me. It had a little green dragon on it and a Quaffle beside it. I took it gently and pushed it into my bag. I smiled up at him.

"Thanks Uncle Neville," I said, pushing tears back as I turned and found somebody else waiting to see me.

Freddie.

"Rose, can I talk to you?" He asked as we walked out of the classroom and found ourselves in the now-deserted corridor.

"Of course," I said, leaning against the wall behind me.

"She spiked my drinks with vast amounts of Veritaserum; you have to understand that I would never have told anybody anything, especially not Chelsea!" He pleaded. I nodded.

"I know. It isn't your fault. Thank you," I said, resting a hand upon his shoulder assuringly.

He looked like he would like to plead his case some more, but just nodded stiffly, with a tiny smile and, turning away, walked the opposite direction. I turned the corner and almost ran headlong into Scorpius, who was stood around it, apparently eavesdropping.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to overhear, I was just waiting to walk you to the hall," he said sheepishly. I nodded with a slight smile and reached into my pocket, grabbing a copy of the baby picture I had received last week. I pushed it into his hand and he looked at it, slowly drinking in everything about it.

"Bigger..." Was all he said, breathlessly, looking at me nervously. He pocketed the picture and we walked towards the Great Hall. As we did so, his hand found mine and our fingers intertwined.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for coming, Rose," Astoria pulled a chair out for me before sitting down herself. I just nodded and she pushed her hair out of her eyes, passing me a large cup of hot chocolate and sipping her own.<p>

"Have you heard from your parents?" She asked gently after a few moments. I shook my head.

"Mum sent me a note the other day saying that dad was busying himself at the ministry and with the pub, but it was starting to sink in. She's going to write a longer letter soon," I replied, hoping it was true. I had been having nightmares about dad disowning me for weeks… months, actually. Astoria nodded with a strained smile.

"When's your next scan?" She asked in the same gentle voice. I pulled out another copy of the scan picture wordlessly and passed it to her over the table. She let out a little 'oh' of surprise and stroked the photograph subconsciously. She made to pass it back to me but I shook my head.

"I've got loads of them – think the midwife was a bit surprised when I asked for ten copies," I said, forcing a little laugh. She smiled slightly and looked at it again.

"My next scan is the 22nd of January. I was a few weeks overdue for my scans so I've been trying to catch up ever since," I explained. Astoria nodded and pocketed the picture.

"May I come with you next time?" She asked shakily, as if she'd just worked up the nerve to ask.

"Of course," I said, taken aback. She smiled in relief.

"Who else has a copy then?" She asked.

"I sent mum and dad one, but they haven't replied yet. One went to Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry, another to Teddy Lupin, Nana and Granddad got one, Bill and Fleur got another…"I tailed off, counting some off my fingers. "I've got one, obviously. You have one now too… oh and Scorpius has one," I finished, studying her face.

"I'm so glad he's talking to you again. I hadn't heard from anyone since last month until your cousin Albus sent me a letter updating us the other day," She explained, her eyes sad. I internally wondered why Albus was in Slytherin, thoughtful as he was.

"We started talking again the other day," I clarified. "Though I totally understand why he wasn't beforehand," I added quickly, taking a sip of my cooling hot chocolate. Astoria made a jerky movement and grabbed my hand over the table in her cool one and looked into my eyes with her own grey-blue ones.

"I know you have a big family to talk to, but Scorpius doesn't. Lucius and Narcissa and my parents are dead and I have no contact with Daphne, my sister. Draco has no siblings. All he has is me and Draco, and all of you – his friends. Please look after each other – there is nothing more important than family and friendship… and love," she said imploringly.

I nodded and she patted my hand before withdrawing it and checking her watch.

"You'd better get back up to school, darling," she added, looking outside at the sky, which was quickly darkening.

"Don't forget, I'll meet you at the hospital on the 22nd," she said, wishing me goodbye two minutes later as we stood outside in the chilly wind. I nodded and she drew me into a quick hug, where I awkwardly patted her on the shoulder.

And then she was gone.

* * *

><p>Later that week I found myself in the most boring Potions theory lessons ever. Sarah, Becky, Dom and I sat on a table of four while the others had been moved around the room to stop us from talking. A group of boys were in front, ladding about and turning round to smirk at us every so often, or whenever Professor Middleton left the room to inventory the store cabinet.<p>

"Hey sexy," one of the lads said appraisingly, turning around when the professor left again. Sarah looked up, quill tucked behind her ear and her face screwed up in concentration. She relaxed.

"Hi Davy, what's up?" She asked, stretching backwards in her chair, arms up in the air. A few male heads turned and she smiled politely at a few, causing some to blush.

"Just wanted to know what you were doing tonight?" Davy replied, curling his hands around hers and looking at her through his eyelashes intensely. Swoooon!

"Well I'm going to take a bath, put on some of my lingerie and do a private photo shoot," Sarah said, gazing at Davy intently (was it just me who could hear her voice dripping with sarcasm?) and smirking at their intertwined fingers. About six lads in the vicinity turned around, grinning and raising their eyebrows.

"It doesn't have to be private y'know…" A boy that I didn't know the name of said, turning around and gazing keenly at my friend. Becky raised her eyebrows from Sarah's other side.

"_I'm_ a dab hand with camera equipment; I could give you some help…" Said a sandy-haired Gryffindor from a few tables to the left of us, looking straight through an affronted Becky at Sarah. James, who was sat at the front of the class with Scorpius, Danny and Albus, looked over and frowned at the crowd gathering around our table, his quill gripped in his hand.

"Lads…" She said weakly and in utter disbelief.

"My real name's Will, but you can call me Rocky. Remember it gorgeous, I'll make you scream it later," a tall, gorgeous blonde boy said, slinking over to our table. I had never seen the Quidditch commentator up close, but I wish I had. Becky and I looked up at him open mouthed, but he had eyes only for Sarah as he knelt down in front of her.

"I'm pretty sure you won't," Sarah said, holding his gaze with her own iron one. Becky gave her a stony look that said 'you brought this on yourself.'

"You're right. I was too forward. How about a walk around the Lake tonight?" 'Rocky' said, holding his hands up and beaming at Sarah innocently.

"Look darlin', you don't want to go with him… just spend time with me for a bit, eh?" The other boy in front of us said, frowning at Rocky and directing his own gaze at Sarah, who looked stunned.

"Boys don't get sarcasm!" She hissed to me out of the corner of her mouth to me.

"Was that a yes?" The boy asked me, turning his smile towards me.

"I –but – hahahaha…" I said feebly, blushing horribly.

Obviously _I'm_ not used to talking to hot blokes.

"Look I know you've got to be stupid, but do you have to be_ that_ stupid?! She was joking! Piss off!" Becky snapped fiercely at the lads now crowding around our table. A few looked taken aback and Sarah turned to look at her.

"What? You weren't doing anything about them!" Becky said crossly. Sarah flushed deep red; a sure sign of trouble but before she could retort, Becky had swept her things up and stormed from the classroom. A fuming Sarah turned to me and Dom.

"What the hell was that all about?"

Honestly? I didn't know.

* * *

><p>"She's mad for Albus, and she's developed a bit of a complex about female competition and since Sarah pretty much epitomises it, she's target number one." Dom explained bluntly later when we both had a free period.<p>

"A complex?" I asked with a snort.

"Well, yeah. Anyone with eyes knows there isn't a competition when Sarah's in the picture," Dom said as she painted her nails alarmingly clashing colours. I must have still looked unconvinced.

"Look at her, Ro. Where looks are involved she brings a gun to a knife fight. We've _all_ got a bit of a complex about her!" She rolled her eyes though she smiled.

"I've never felt threatened," I lied, shrugging. She only made me feel _slightly _more insecure than usual…

"You have to admit that we all have our little labels in this group," Dom said, looking at me with her piercing eyes.

"You're the smart girl, Sarah's the beauty, I'm the loudmouth and Becky's the sweet one who nobody really noticed because she was with Rich for so long that boys forgot her. James is the clown, Albus is the bookworm and Scorpius is the brooding blonde Malfoy," she explained. "We've all got our place."

"Yeah, but that's not all we are. I mean we've all got flaws. I'm pregnant for god's sake, Sarah's got too quick a temper, you had crazy jealousy issues when it came to Sean and Becky is really insecure – I mean, remember when she tried to lengthen her legs with magic and grew tentacles? James can be oversensitive, Albus is calculating, Scorpius is a coward with girls," I argued.

Dom shrugged.

"We've all got our shit. Becky has a chip on her shoulder though – she forgets that we all have flaws. I mean, you and Scorpius finally have an okay relationship about the baby, I've gone official with Steve, Sarah has her pick of Danny and James and Albus is fancied by half of the school. She feels like she's being left behind," she said. I suddenly had a thought.

"We could hold an intervention," I said, with a lopsided grin. "Could be a laugh… We all take ourselves too seriously sometimes. We should stand up and admit our flaws!" I said with a grin, laying my legs out over Dom's lap. She looked up and gave a bark-like laugh.

"Yeah…why the hell not?!"

* * *

><p>Later that night, we cleared the common room by using mainly fear and bribes and brought in the lads. It was going to be perfectly executed.<p>

All of us had our little roles. Albus was reading a book, Sarah was plucking her eyebrows, Dom was ranting to James about anybody she could think of, Scorpius was sat, watching us all in semi darkness and James was pissing about with a tea towel while listening to Dom's loud-mouth opinions and singing under his breath in a high-pitched voice. I was doing some homework and Becky was sat in the middle, watching all of us individually, not knowing what the hell was going on.

Suddenly, as arranged, James took offence at something Dom said and sat down in a huff. Albus closed his book and surveyed us all with a scheming look on his face, head resting on his fingers, Sarah started a heated (and staged) argument with Dom, and I started rubbing my stomach and humming a lullaby. Scorpius got up and walked over to the furthest corner of the room and crouched in it, covering his head with his arms.

"That's it, you've all gone mental! What the hell is going on?!" Becky yelled, holding her hands up in a 'stop' motion and looking worried.

"I'm temperamental," Sarah explained with a shrug, sitting down.

"I'm a loudmouth and my jealousy is out of control half the time," Dom said next.

"I'm sensitive but I cover it up with stupidity and jokes," James said, crossing his eyes.

"I'm smart but pregnant," I piped up.

"I'm cagey with my feelings but secretly girls scare me," Scorpius said with a stammer, standing up and walking back into the midst of the rest of us.

"I'm bookish but pretty calculating," Albus admitted.

"I'm confused…" Becky admitted, looking round at all of us.

"We all have flaws, Beck," I explained, "we are all insecure and scared and have ugliness in us. We are human," I added.

"I'm a massive fatty – I eat _way _too much crap. The only reason I'm not a size 20 is because of Quidditch," Sarah offered up.

"Yeah, and I am a total fuckwit when it comes to feelings," I added.

"I don't understand girls. I just want to read half the time…" Albus admitted awkwardly.

"I'm obsessive and it overshadows other important things. I'm _insanely_ jealous," James said.

"I don't know what to say… ever," Scorpius offered, looking around nervously.

"And I can be vain and bossy," Dom shrugged. "But we love each other because of and _despite of_ all these things," She said. Becky nodded slowly and looked around at us.

"What is this then?" She asked. I sat up straighter and crossed my legs.

"An intervention!" I replied.

"But…what are you intervening?" She asked, looking at us like we were all mad.

"None of us should take ourselves too seriously," Scorpius shrugged.

"Life's too short and there are too many bitches in it making us insecure without feeling that way ourselves," Sarah said with a smile.

Becky smiled back.

"Fine. Thanks you guys." She said, pulling Dom and James into a hug.

We all piled in and I realised Astoria was right – there's nothing more important than family and friendship and love. And despite everything, I am the luckiest girl in the world because I have them all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hope you like it, guys. I am quite nervous about these chapters atm, feels like there is a lot of pressure to make it live up to your expectations as well as all feel real and seem a little less heavy (like this chapter). There are a lot more things in store for you guys including a _serious_ rethink about a relationship and a little holiday for Scorpius and Rose. Please review, you've all been soooo great and supportive :)**

**Love, Sarita x**


	32. Chapter 31: Revenge and Revelations

**Chapter 31: Revenge and Revelations**

A week later found me in my dormitory, in one of my maternity tops from Aunt Ginny, stroking the skin of my stomach casually as I read a book on witch-hurts in England and Wales. Becky was revising Herbology in the library and Dom was with Steve. The two of them had grown pretty close, and Sean Finnegan had seen them together the other day and had seemed quite put-out to see the girl who was usually his back-up bed buddy had found someone who actually respected her.

It was the day before my scan and I hadn't told anybody about it except Astoria – my relationship with Scorpius was getting back to as normal as it can do right now and I think the scan pictures was as involved as he could get at the moment. I didn't want to bother Sarah with coming - her relationship with Danny was strained – Quidditch practice and lessons were the only real time they spent together and even Amy and James were seeing less of each other, although a lot of that was to do with James taking meals in his invisibility cloak, much to Lily's amusement. Mum was campaigning against the wrongful treatment of house elves abroad and dad would be useless at a scan. Dom was spending every waking moment with Steve – the two had become quite inseparable, while Becky had taken to revising almost nonstop, Albus sometimes joining her.

It seemed that the only volunteer to accompany me was Astoria Malfoy.

And, weirdly, I was okay with that.

* * *

><p>"Just going for a shower, Ro. Danny says he's going to be revising with Steve this morning. We were meant to be spending our free together but oh well," Sarah sighed five minutes later, bringing me a piece of toast and apricot jam from the Great Hall. I was obsessed with apricots at the moment – dried ones, whole ones, flavoured drinks and jam were my top favourites.<p>

"Okie dokie," I said calmly turning the page of my book. Sarah shut the door behind her just as Dom rushed into the room breathlessly, grabbed her coat and turned to me before heading out.

"What you doing?" I asked.

"Steve and I are going for a walk. It's so cold out, needed my hoodie," She replied.

"That's weird… thought Danny and Steve were revising?" I asked quizzically. Dom shook her head.

"No, they were meant to but Danny cancelled last night. Said he was revising with someone else or something. Bye Ro Ro," she added, hurrying from the room.

"Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice," I said to myself, just as a huge dog bounded into the room and changed into James.

"Talking to yourself again Ro?" He said, shaking his head and making his way towards the bathroom door.

He likes stealing Dom's expensive face cream, mainly to annoy her but also he has decided he likes the feel of a face mask. There are more things wrong with this situation than I dare to count, so I've learned to just leave him do whatever weird shit makes him happy.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you James. Sarah's just got out of the shower; she might not even be dressed yet," I warned him.

James looked like all his Christmases had come at once and crashed through the bathroom door.

"JAMES!" Sarah screeched from the bathroom as James came ricocheting out, grinning from ear to ear despite the shower gels being pelted after him by Sarah, who was clutching a towel around her body.

"I've seen it all before!" James yelled over his shoulder with a satisfied grin.

"I'LL GET YOU BACK FOR THAT!" Sarah yelled furiously after him as James flew down the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him and bounded into his dormitory.

"Twat," Sarah grumbled more to herself than to me as she returned to the bathroom and closed the door. I laughed to myself. James _really_ shouldn't have done that...

* * *

><p>Later that night, at about midnight, I was awoken by Sarah.<p>

"Rose, come with me, I'm going to get James back!" Sarah whispered. I clambered out of bed groggily and registered that she had something in her hand. As we left our dorm and descended the stairs, curiosity got the better of me.

"What's that?" I asked, more awake now. Sarah turned to me as we stood outside the boys' dorm.

"Raw chillies, I broke into the kitchens," she whispered softly, sounding mischievous.

I wonder where this is heading...

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"You'll see," She said mysteriously. She was just about to open the door when I stopped her.

"What if Amy's in there with him?" I asked, hoping it wasn't true. Sarah looked at me for a moment as if she hadn't considered it and then shrugged.

"I might have to accidentally get her too, eh?" She said with a grin, opening the door swiftly and sliding in, me close behind her.

It was pitch black in the room and all I could hear was gentle slow breathing from the boys and the occasional snore. Sarah padded silently to James' bed and drew back the curtain. I was right behind her as we climbed onto his bed and drew the curtains behind us. James was sleeping peacefully, his mouth slightly open and his floppy hair falling slightly over his face.

No Amy. I breathed a sigh of relief, wondering how Sarah would have actually reacted to it – maybe she didn't care, but I think I know her better than that. Sarah began peeling the covers away from him and then turned to me, mid-peel.

"You might want to look away now, James sleeps naked and that's pretty much the point of this revenge plan," she warned.

I immediately looked away but heard her crushing the chillies between her hands. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw her hold her fisted hand just above his body and squeeze the chilli juice through her fingers. She dropped the chillies on his thigh then and wiped her hand on his chest. Just then, James began to stir, a frown creasing his sleeping face.

"Shit! Quick, under the bed!" I said and we scrambled under the bed as quickly as possible just as James's eyes popped open. Sarah quickly _Scourgify_-ed the remains of the chillies off her hands and we lay there in the dark with our knuckles stuffed into our mouths as James made the bed creak by sitting up suddenly.

"AAAAAHH SWEET JESUS WHAT THE FUCK?!" James roared, leaping out of bed and scrambling into the bathroom where he yanked on the light and hopped into the shower.

"What the hell is going on, James?!" Steve from the Quidditch team said, sitting up and drawing the curtains away from his bed.

"Oh my god..." James moaned in pain from the bathroom as he pulled the shower head towards his hips and threw his head back.

"James you fucking perv, you woke us all up to play with yourself in the shower?!" Danny yelled groggily as Sarah and I giggled silently but uncontrollably.

"I'm not, I was attacked by someone!" James replied, wincing as he haphazardly sprayed water everywhere.

"What? Search the room!" Davy said, leaping out of bed. He, a lad called Tom and Steve hurried out of the dorm to search the common room while Danny hopped up and began drawing the curtains away from all the beds, wand at the ready.

"Who would do such a thing to me?" James groaned dramatically from the bathroom.

"James, just shut up all right? You know I don't like talking to you when I know you're naked," Danny replied irritably.

James moaned in pain and splashed some more water around the bathroom. I looked to the side of the underside of the bed and made sure I tucked all my limbs tight under James' bed as Sarah wheezed silently in amusement and I stifled my laughter with my hands.

"Check under the beds or in the windows or something," James called, climbing out of the shower and wrapping a towel around him.

Suddenly Danny's face appeared beside Sarah's on the floor. I turned my head towards the bathroom and I saw James glimpsing down under the towel around his hips. He grabbed his wand and began to mutter something under his breath.

"What the-?" Danny asked but Sarah covered his mouth firmly with her hand.

"James saw me naked earlier, I just got my revenge, nod if you understand," she whispered sternly to her boyfriend. Danny smiled behind her hand still covering his mouth and his eyes glinted as he nodded. Sarah let go of his face.

"What's wrong? Have you found someone?!" James asked, appearing in the bathroom doorway.

"Nope, nothing mate," Danny replied and James disappeared again. Danny reappeared under the bed.

I don't think he's seen me yet to be honest; it's still quite dark in here...

"What did you do to him?" Danny asked.

"Fresh chillies," was Sarah's only explanation. Danny winced and looked pained on James' behalf.

"Bit extreme?" He wondered.

"He burst in on me when I'd just got out of the shower – deliberately," Sarah replied dryly in a quiet voice, still stifling intermittent giggles at the moans of pain coming from the bathroom. Danny looked at her for a long while and nodded.

"Fair enough, nice one," he said darkly.

Typical jealous guy.

"Once everyone's back in bed and it's settled down, come to bed," Danny whispered suggestively, raising an eyebrow and smiling crookedly at her so that it left no doubt that it was _his_ bed he was referring to.

"Oh, hello Rose," he added in shock as I rested my head on Sarah's shoulder and looked right at him.

Well, I didn't want him to start talking dirty to her or something. My sense of nausea had increased tenfold since pregnancy.

"Hi Danny, she'll be in when everything's settled down, the sooner the better though, right?" I said with a chuckle, trying to be cool about it all. Danny nodded nervously.

"Good point," Danny said and he scrambled to his feet just as the three other boys entered the room.

"Nothing downstairs Jay. Must've gone," Steve said, clambering back into bed.

"Maybe you imagined it?" Davy said as he and Tom climbed into their respective beds.

"Look mate, you could fry an egg on my dick, I didn't imagine that," James replied, irritated.

"Whatever, lad - just go to bed," Tom said, turning off the lights and leaving Sarah and I, still giggling as silently as possible.

Eventually James climbed back into bed, wincing under his breath.

"D'you think it was a bit much?" Sarah breathed, turning big blue eyes on me.

"He'll get over it," I shrugged as we slid out from under the bed as quietly as possibly.

Sarah glanced at me.

"I'd better not leave Danny in the lurch," she said looking apologetically at me. I waved a hand airily.

"No worries, I'll see you tomorrow... you'd better creep out of here early so James doesn't suspect," I said and Sarah nodded.

"Night," she said with a grin and I crawled to the door, noticing that Sarah drew back James' curtains ever so slightly and cast a spell I didn't hear before she slid into her boyfriend's bed, after looking down at my cousin for a second, her eyes sad.

* * *

><p>The next morning Sarah and I found ourselves loading our plates with crumpets and chocolate spread, opposite James, who was still looking uncomfortable.<p>

"You alright James? Cold getting to you a bit?" I asked innocently.

"Yeah, blimey it's a bit chilly willy out there," Sarah said with a straight face. James' head snapped up.

"What did you just say?"

"Bit chilly willy?" Sarah replied, looking innocent.

"Don't say that," James shuddered, looking back down at his porridge.

"Why? What's got you all hot under the waistband?" I asked him innocently.

The effect was ruined somewhat when James' head snapped up for a second time and saw me and Sarah in hysterical fits of laughter, Sarah's crumpet shaking in her hand.

"You two did it?! You little sods!" James yelled, looking shocked and betrayed but amused and getting to his feet quickly.

Sarah and I saw what was coming and scrambled to our feet, dropping our breakfast and sprinting (well, her sprinting, me hobbling like an invalid with my bump) out of the hall, James hot on our heels. Sarah managed to bolt up the stairs and so James rounded on me.

"Little shit," he muttered, looking genuinely surprised at me.

"Well that'll teach you for being a perv!" I retorted. He shook his head with a grin and made to turn away but I grabbed his arm.

"Hey, I meant to tell you. Danny and Sarah don't see much of each other nowadays do they?" I said, trying to sound casual but looking around him in case Sarah reappeared.

"Yeah, well Amy seems to have disappeared too, thankfully. I wouldn't read too much into it, I'm trying not to," he replied, shrugging.

"It's just, he said to her that he was studying with Steve yesterday but Dom said Steve was with her all day… Danny apparently blew her off to revise with someone else," I said thoughtfully. James frowned at me.

"Weird…" Was all he said before he seemed to shake the thought from his head.

"Forget it, it's probably nothing," he added sternly, as if warding off hope of trouble in paradise. I nodded, he's right –it's probably something perfectly innocent. Nobody's ever had a reason to doubt Danny.

Which made it all the more weird that alarm bells were ringing for me.

"Oh Rose, I got here early, I couldn't remember what time you said," Astoria said, greeting me with a hug when she saw me.

Sister Ann Weathers soon ushered us into the room and Astoria sat down beside me as I sat down after I'd changed and revealed my swelled stomach. It was weird-looking, with stretch marks clawed across it and blotches of pink skin showing. It wasn't big, but it hung over my jeans a bit. To me, it felt huge.

I lay down and went through the routine. Astoria gasped and stared as my stomach slowly became see-through and my little alien-looking baby became clearer and clearer. Astoria and I clasped hands at some point, but I didn't realise.

"How many copies would you like this time, Miss Weasley?" Ann asked, smiling at Astoria's glistening eyes and my calm smile.

"Just the eight this time I think," I said, grinning at Astoria, who gave a teary laugh.

"I've been carrying the one you gave me ever since I got it," she said with a smile, pulling it out of her pocket. "I even caught Draco looking at it the other night," she said, squeezing my hand. For some reason this fact made me wish Scorpius was with me too.

Just like the other two times, it was over as quickly as it had begun.

"See you next month, Rose," Ann said with a kind smile, giving me all eight copies of my picture.

"Thanks Ann," I replied, smiling back. Astoria and I walked towards the fireplace on the first floor and stood opposite each other, wondering how to say goodbye again.

"Here you go," I said, pushing a copy of the scan picture into her hand. She smiled and took it, thumbing the tiny body.

"I'll see you soon, love. Don't be a stranger," she said, hugging me again before I stepped into the fire and spun away.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

I feel like a real weirdo, following my ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend everywhere for a day. Some people might have me sectioned, but I like to think I show true Gryffindor dedication, skipping all my lessons to trail Danny relentlessly in dad's invisibility cloak. So far I had come up with nothing, but he was sure to mess up at some point.

Well, that's what I keep telling myself to avoid feeling like a real loser.

I found myself in the library later. Danny was sat alone in the furthest, quietest corner of the room, on a table right behind a bookcase. I had managed to climb onto a shorter bookcase nearby and could almost read his book over his shoulder. He kept glancing up every few seconds until I heard stiletto heels clicking softly towards us. I heard it before he did and his head snapped up and he got to his feet as a familiar face came into view.

"I thought you were going to stand me up," he said. The girl shook her head and stepped forward. His hands found her waist and she stepped into his kiss.

My jaw actually dropped and I had to stop myself from making a genuine noise of surprise.

The girl was Amy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry it's been 10 days guys, I have been majorly stressing about these chapters, trying to get the feelings and the reactions and the interactions right. I hope you enjoy, please review! :) -Sarita x**


	33. Chapter 32: Kissing the Messenger

**Chapter 32: Kissing the Messenger**

James

"Are you OK James? You look tense," Rose commented idly an hour later. My head was about to explode.

"I'm not tense. I'm just terribly, terribly alert," I replied, fidgeting with my broomstick as I tried to distract myself by polishing it. I haven't told Rose anything about the Amy and Danny fiasco. It's not fair on Sarah.

I don't know what I'm going to do – my ex girlfriend's new boyfriend is cheating on her with my current girlfriend. Nothing screams 'I feel a talk show in my future' quite like that.

Damn it.

"Are you drinking in the morning again? Because I already told you that gin does not count as one of your five a day," Rose replied, shaking her head as she scrawled corrections on my Arithmancy homework.

I forced a laugh, but it felt like my stomach was full of little bugs jumping around. I need to tell someone. Right now.

"Rose, do you remember what we were talking about yesterday?" I asked with the feverish urgency of a drug addict.

"You're going to have to narrow it down…" Rose replied questioningly.

"Danny is cheating on Sarah," I blurted. Rose looked at me in shock.

"I never said that, I just said it was a bit weird that-," she started.

"No, I followed him all day yesterday and he is cheating on her," I said, turning in the sofa to look right at her, curling my legs under me. Rose looked horrified and glanced around the relatively empty room.

"What the- no… who with?" She looked appalled.

I hoped she wouldn't faint like she tends to have started doing since being pregnant. I took a deep breath.

"Amy," I replied, monitoring her. She leaned towards me, her eyes practically popping out of her head.

"Amy Harris…Amy your _girlfriend_!?" She asked in a hiss. I nodded fervently.

"Fucking hell," Rose replied and I nodded as if to share her shock.

"What am I going to do?" I asked desperately. Rose looked at me with the same horror.

"You have to tell her… You have to… we can't let her get hurt like this again," she replied, apparently forgetting that it was my fault there was an 'again' at the end of that sentence.

"Have you never heard of 'shooting the messenger'?" I replied as if she was mad. She just looked at me.

"James… you followed him on a hunch… it turned out that you were right and now you owe it to Sarah to tell her!" Rose hissed with the sensible nature she was born with. I nodded slowly after a few moments.

She's always right.

* * *

><p>I handed Sarah the gift wrapped box carefully. I had spent the last hour making sure everything was perfect; that the black bow on the top of the small white box was perfectly straight and that the Goblin-made solid silver ring with four rubies set into it was shiny and sparkly as could be. She took it, looking at me quizzically and opened the box. She gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth, almost dropping the box. When she had a minute to recover, she snapped the box shut.<p>

"'Forgive me' jewellery?" She said, pushing the box back into my hands and folding her arms.

"James, what have you done?" She asked, horrified. I couldn't lie to her, she could read me like a book and I wasn't ashamed to admit it.

"I haven't done anything," I said, pushing the box back into her hands, "but I saw you looking at this a few months ago and I thought I'd do something nice for you," I said. I knew I couldn't lie, but this was at the very least a half-truth.

"Yeah, I was looking at this, but I was also looking at the price tag. Where on earth did you get 300 Galleons?" She said, cocking her head to the side and frowning.

Oh crap.

"It's not important, what's important is-,"

"_Not important?_ Where did you get the money?" Sarah asked in total shock, as if she'd forgotten that since I'm the son of Harry Potter, a lot of people trip over themselves to give me free stuff. It's quite irritating sometimes.

"Look, I've been saving up since you told me you liked it! I've had it on reserve since the second you looked at it!" I said, grabbing her shoulders in earnest. "But the jewellery is to make what I'm about to say a tiny bit more bearable to hear!"

"What could be worth this mu-," Sarah began. I couldn't keep it in any longer.

"He's cheating on you, Sarah," I burst out finally. She stopped talking at once, and her whole body stiffened.

"What?" She hissed.

"I didn't want to be the one to tell you. But I don't think anyone else knows," I said.

It felt like my heart was breaking all over again as she slowly clutched her own chest and put a hand on my shoulder for support. I wanted to hug her and tell her it would all be OK, or that if he made her happy that I was making it all up and that he loved her. But I couldn't.

"What's her name?" She asked numbly.

The usual spark had gone from her legions-deep blue eyes as they met mine, but there were no tears. For a callous, selfish second I wished she was so I had an excuse to hold her, just hold her, tears on my shoulder.

"It's Amy," I said quietly.

"Your Amy?" She gasped and her fist tightened on my shoulder when I nodded, nails digging painfully into my shoulder. I didn't notice that pain though, because the pain of seeing the girl, no – woman – I loved so completely affected in such a way by another man was killing me. She met my eyes again and I looked ever so slightly down at her.

"James…I'm so, so sorry. Did – does she mean a lot to you?" She asked quietly, looking up at me. It was a testament to her that even in this horrible moment, she was still worrying about my feelings.

I shook my head. If only she knew how little Amy meant to me, knew that every little reluctant kiss felt dirty and foul to the lips that pined only for hers, after everything.

"No, she's dead to me, always has been. But I know Danny meant – means a lot to you," I said, trying to swallow my pain.

"Yes. He does," she said simply, looking down again and clutching her chest, her hand had slid down my shoulder and was resting on my forearm.

"I love him," she protested weakly, sounding as though she couldn't believe her own words.

I steadied her with my other arm – she looked like she was about to faint. I wished I could clutch at my heart too, because if it hadn't been broken since the day she finished with me all those months ago I could have sworn it had broken again and bled at her casual words.

"God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was the one to tell you this, I'm sorry he couldn't keep his hands to himself," I spluttered genuinely.

But most of all, I was sorry that I was shamefully glad she had been shown that no-one was good enough for her. Not even me, although I was willing to treat her like my own personal goddess again, if only she'd let me…

"Not your fault," she mumbled. Her hand was slipping down my arm…slowly sliding down my wrist…her hand found mine and my heart beat furiously fast, throwing itself against my ribs desperately in a bid to be near hers. I tightened my grip around her soft hand and I led her up to the common room. In silence, it felt like the longest walk of my life, I slowly glanced over at her shell-shocked face as I led her through the portrait-hole. We stopped at the staircase to our dormitories.

"Goodnight Jamie," she mumbled, hugging me tightly. I stroked her hair and we stood there like that for an eternity. After a while I felt rather than heard the tears on my shoulder I knew I would feel eventually…she was a very tough girl – one of the strongest – but she had been caught unawares and wasn't expecting _him_ to do that at all. And suddenly I felt the familiar black rush of inhuman anger which made me feel like I needed to uproot a tree or overturn a lorry. Danny had hurt Sarah and nobody…_nobody_ hurts my girl and gets away with it…

* * *

><p><span>Sarah<span>

I rolled over one last time and checked Dom's glowing alarm clock from across the room.

2am, and the tears were still falling. Well, falling was maybe the wrong word; they were trickling down my cheeks into my now-damp hair and dampening my pillow too.

How long has it been going on? Stupid girl, why didn't I see it?!

_Because you watch James so much that it's a wonder you can see where you're going…_

Silent tears fell harder, my stomach clenching in wordless sorrow. James broke my heart too… Danny's infidelity had brought it all back up… James, my doting boyfriend who thought about me and cared for me and loved me, and who changed on me like a chameleon until one day I didn't know who he was.

"_It was a test… It was a test to see if you would call my bluff…"_ He begged me, his words coming back through the almost two years and hitting me in the chest as hard now as they did then. More tears fell.

"_Why did you _need_ to test me…? I loved you… I'd always loved you. I did anything for you, I'd have followed anywhere you led… but you pretended you loved me and now the truth shines through…"_ I had sobbed to James as he sank to his knees with a thud, his hands still clutching mine as if his life depended on it.

"_Never… I… I wanted to know why you loved a creature such as me… why you would choose me out of anyone…" _He was crying too, and my tears fell as heavily now as they had on that night, and most nights since. Why did he think me to be a goddess, when all I saw were flaws? It doesn't make sense. It never did.

"_I can't do this anymore. I can't be with someone who doesn't love me… no matter how much I love you,"_ I gasped through streaming eyes. James visibly trembled.

"_No… no… Sar… my Sar-bear… my kitty cat… I never meant to hurt you… I never meant-"_ He choked out a strangled sob and looked up at me, his beautiful brown eyes brimming with fresh tears. I grasped at my stomach… it felt like he'd kicked me in it… the pain… the pain was unbelievable. I never thought a heart could break a little bit every day… but mine had… and has ever since.

"_It's too late, James…"_ I choked, my eyes blurry with more tears than I thought I could ever cry.

And then I left.

I can count myself a victim of James, but Danny… I knew that was going to end in tears… I mean, I have been stupid, stupid, _stupid_ to think that dating a boy who I simply liked as a person could fill the void left by James. There was a line between us, James and I, that both of us liked getting close to, but neither of us had the guts to actually cross. The kisses he has desperately tried to give me have been all I wanted, secretly, but with our relationships were totally inappropriate. I have some part in this pain this time around – I wanted a man who I loved before, and despite my attempts to get past him, James has held my heart as tightly as ever he did. I loved Danny… he was sweet and gentle and funny… but he would still never be James. And if that were his only crime, I could forgive him. I have hurt him too…

I snapped back to the present moment, staring through eyes still blurry at the clock, which now read 2.30am. I sniffed and looked over at Rose… The girl who'd loved me like a sister since we were eleven… we looked to each other for advice, and other people looked to us for insanity… but now she was pregnant and I was a broken girl. I wished we could snuggle up in bed together and watch a stupid muggle chick-flick and chat about boys… back when she'd blush and shyly say how handsome she thought Scorpius was, and I would giggle and gush about the tall, gorgeous cousin of hers in the year above.

I still wanted James after all this. I still imagined him standing next to me at the altar when I pictured my wedding… And I have the (more than slightly hopeful) feeling he has never properly fallen out of love with me.

Underneath all the hurt… all the tears, something else is bubbling just below the surface… and it won't stay below the surface for long. I'm angry… Danny hurt me deeply… but I'm a big girl and it was never going to last forever, but Amy hurt James… and _that_ means war.

I sat up slowly in bed and wiped the last of my tears. I needed answers about everything. More importantly, I needed a plan.

And thankfully, I knew a night owl who would still be up at half past two.

So I went to him.

* * *

><p><span>Albus<span>

"How is she?" Scorpius asked for the fourth time today. He was talking about Rose and watching her in between mouthfuls of his dinner, hoping she wouldn't spot him staring at her from across the hall.

"Scor, it's the fourth time you've asked me today, why don't you go and ask _her_ how she is?" I replied exasperatedly.

Sarah and Dom keep telling me I should find a 'nice girl' and ask her out, but if Scorpius and James are any examples of what men in love are like, then count me out.

I'd only just got rid of Scorpius and taken refuge in the library when the second of the two love-sick men in my charge found me. However, instead of scratching his and Sarah's initials on a desk, he had a real tale to tell.

A tale involving intrigue, scandal and mystery. A tale about how Danny and Amy were secretly together. A tale which ended in my desperate brother practically gripping at my robes and screaming in my face about how he hadn't seen Sarah since last night. And unfortunately, I had a bigger part in it than I thought.

"I haven't seen her since I told her about Danny and Amy, Al!" James cried desperately. I said nothing, and turned away.

"I mean, she can't possibly blame me for this! I just told her about them, I'd be a victim too in all this if I cared about Amy at all!" James continued, not realising me, his brother was shifting his feet uncomfortably.

"Do you think she was with him last night… oh God please don't say she's still with him!" James continued running hands through his ever-untidy hair. "Now I know she would never sleep with him after that, my girl's got a moral code!" He added.

"How long is it since you told her?" I said, finally breaking his silence, but not _quite_ meeting my brother's eye.

"Well, it was last night…" James said uncertainly.

"And when did you last see her?" I continued, now looking at my feet.

"Well she hasn't spoken to me since, God knows I've tried, but when I tried to find her, she disappeared! But I didn't see her _at all_ this morning…she wasn't in the common room or the hall or anything," James said, still looking edgy, hair sticking up at all angles.

"Maybe she's still with him, or maybe she was with Rose and Bec-," he started, but I looked up at him finally.

"James! You didn't see her last night because she was with me!" I blurted out.

James looked at me like he had never seen me before.

"What do you mean, _with her_?" James said, his voice a dangerous growl, and his big hands balled into fists. I knew exactly where his mind had gone. Mine was sometimes there too, when I'm too tired to censor my thoughts. But every guy has a little crush on his brother's girlfriend… right?

God I'm such a perv... Maybe I do need a girl in my life.

"She just needed someone to talk to about the whole situation. I was that person," I said truthfully. James relaxed, but not completely.

"Does she blame me?" He asked uneasily.

"Nah, bro. She just didn't know what to think. She's taken a serious hit; no-one has ever cheated on her before…she thinks she isn't good enough, Jay," I said anxiously, leaving out the part where she'd cried and I'd held her while she told me exactly what my idiot brother had put her through.

"Don't worry Al. I'll make sure I get that thought right out of her head. I'd honestly have _killed _that boy if I didn't think she'd be even more upset!" James spat viciously. I nodded. James would kill for her without blinking.

"I know you would've. But she's planning on talking to you today. She wants revenge and she has some sort of plan brewing. I swear sometimes that girl belongs in Slytherin…she's so cunning," I said, half admiring and half fearful.

"Really? I have been thinking too..." James asked, interestedly, rubbing his slightly stubbly chin.

"Yeah, so get out of here, she'll be waiting for you in the common room. And for God's sake, James… have a shave," I added.

My brother smiled.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

"_Here she is,"_ I thought as she made her way towards me through the midgets (first years) who barely came up to her elbows. I grinned in spite of the situation, and she gave me a proud, cool smile. I knew that smile…it unnerved me and at the same time made me smile wider. It was the smile that told me that she was planning something.

"James," she said. Her chest was puffed out and she was holding her head high, giving me the impression that she was at least three inches taller than she had been the last time I'd really seen her. I loved it when she was proud…it meant there was no messing with her. She was pale though, and I could tell she'd been crying not long ago.

"All right kitten feet?" I asked, trying to take her hand again as we walked out of the portrait hole. She dropped my hand and looked around furtively. My heart sank… would she still not want me even as a shoulder to cry on?

"Not here Jay… Let me tell you my plan first," she said as we hurried along the corridors. We came to a deserted classroom and she pushed me in and closed the door.

"Listen up, Jamie. I have a plan of what to do about our situation. We don't break up with them, either of them. I call it Operation 360: make love not war," she said triumphantly. I looked at her.

"Well what the hell? You can't tell me you're going to forgive the cheating scumbag-" I started furiously but she stepped towards me and put a finger to my lips.

"No. We just give them a taste of their own medicine, that's all," she said, smiling deviously and flashing me her pearly smile. I grinned.

"What does that involve?" I asked, having already agreed to it inside my head.

"Well…" She said, taking a step towards me. We were literally inches apart, and the heat was radiating off her body.

Damn, this girl really does things to me. In fact right now I think she can feel what exactly what she does to me…

And I was blushing.

"Firstly, we find the perfect cheating partner," she breathed, looking at my mouth. I nodded dreamily. Her deep, heady perfume was filing my nostrils, intoxicating my senses.

"I think I have one in mind," I said quickly, gazing into her eyes. She pulled a small box out of her pocket and slipped on the ring I had bought her. She smiled at it and ran her fingers through my hair softly.

"And then, with your chosen partner, if she's willing, you start up a passionate-" She leant in "-physical-" she leant in further, lips an inch from mine "-tender-" She brushed her lips against mine and I automatically reached for her "- love affair-" She hissed against my mouth, before she kissed me passionately, almost roughly. I moaned; she had no idea how long I had dreamt about this…

She broke away after a minute or so, and wiped the lipgloss from my lips, which were parted as I gazed lovingly at her.

"Do you have such a girl in mind?" She whispered, as I twirled a curl of her hair around my finger.

"You know full well I do," I growled before kissing her again, my hands travelling up and down her body furiously fast and tangling in her hair. She moaned and my knees almost buckled under me. She broke away far too quickly for my liking and looked at me.

"I've missed you, James," she sighed, resting her head on my chest. I looked down at her and kissed her head.

"I've missed you too, love. More than you can imagine..." I said quietly. She looked up at me, kissed me once more and pulled away, making for the door. I came up behind her and hugged her from behind.

"Are we going to use each other to get back at them?" I asked. I had to admit I loved the idea of getting one over on Danny by having 'his' girlfriend in my arms.

"We would never _use_ each other. But we can try and go back to the way things were, and if the two of them learn a lesson along the way, it's just collateral damage," she said, arching an eyebrow.

"It does sound tempting, finally having you back, and getting our own back on that bastard Danny," I said with a grin.

"But after we're satisfied with revenge, then what? We go back to being friends?" I tried to sound less like my life depended on the answer.

"Come on James, we both know this isn't a casual fling…there's history here…there are _feelings_ here," she said quietly, pushing her hair behind her ear. "There's_ love_ here." She breathed, gesturing between the two of us. I rested my forehead against hers and looked into her eyes.

"So we're together?" I asked. She looked almost uncertain.

"Not quite. I'm your mistress," she said, smirking. "And you're my…mister," she said with a genuine laugh.

"So we're cheating on our unfaithful partners with each other?" I asked. I wanted to be completely clear.

"Exactly. Until we pick a moment where we can publicly humiliate them and take our relationship back out of the 'closet'," she said, still smiling.

"Sounds good," I said, grinning too. "I have one ground rule though," I said suddenly stern.

"What is it?" Sarah asked.

"No sex," I said very quietly.

"Between us?" She asked.

"Between you and Danny," I spat his name jealously and resentfully. She looked at me as if contemplating it but she looked unconvinced.

"What, and none between you and Amy either then?" She said quickly.

"There isn't any anyway," I shrugged truthfully.

"What? Really?" Sarah asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Yeah. I only ever want you, Sarah. Remember that," I said sternly, and looked at her. I was shocked to see tears spring to her eyes.

"You have no idea what it means to me to hear you say that… I thought I would never hear it… I always dreamt of you loving me again," she whispered, blinking rapidly in an effort to hold back her tears.

"I never stopped. So even when you were _with_ him you wanted me?" I asked hopefully, not expecting a reply.

"Well, maybe not then, but I _have _missed you."

"Didn't think so."

I wasn't angry with her…it would be unreasonable to be angry with her for moving on, but I _was_ angry and hurt that she'd appeared to have done it so quickly and so completely.

"Oh please don't be angry, James. I thought I was going to be all right without you. I was wrong," she said, with a small hint of plea in her voice.

"I'm not angry, but a lot has happened since you finished with me," I said uncomfortably. I _hated _revisiting that time in my life. There hasn't been a worse time before I hope to God there won't be another chapter in my life like that one.

"I just don't want to be used by you Sarah, I love you," I added, shuffling my feet nervously. It had been so long since I had actually said that to her out loud that I almost felt like crying when she looked at me. I've never shed so many tears over anything but her.

I'm a girl like that.

"James, I never stopped loving you, I just thought I'd stopped being _in_ love with you for a while, which obviously wasn't the case. I never felt about Danny the way I felt – feel – about you. But I need to get my pound of flesh, and Danny and Amy _will_ pay for this," she said dauntingly. I almost took a step back. Her hatred and anger was radiating off her, and I was actually scared.

"Oh yeah? And how are you going to go about that?" I asked, half not wanting to know.

"Well the humiliation heartbreak thing seems like a good plan to me," Sarah said slowly, raising one eyebrow at me as if challenging me. I held up my hands in surrender and drew her into a hug.

"Fine by me, evil girl, why aren't you in Slytherin? And I suppose I know that for this to be convincing the sex thing being off the menu isn't going to work… he would suspect something. As long as it's me you come back to, I suppose I can handle it for a little while longer," I laughed humourlessly, hugging her tightly and trying to show her how much she meant to me at the same time.

"I would never ask it of you. Trust me; now I know where he's putting that thing, I don't want it anywhere near me," she said bitterly into my shoulder, nestling her head under my chin. I knew I was right though – for him to be convinced she would not be free of his touch just yet. I smiled into her hair, not wanting to speak and ruin any moment that she was this close to me.

"James?" She said suddenly. A thousand thoughts ran through my mind; what if she's decided against it and was going to snatch this glimmering beacon of happiness away from me again? I couldn't have that… I wouldn't let her go again. I'd tie her to a chair and make her love me.

"Yeah?" I asked cautiously. She took a deep breath as if preparing for something and my stomach dropped, I felt numb.

"I love you. I've always loved you," she said anxiously looking up at me, eyes darting between mine. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding and rubbed her arms, my body filled with so much happiness it felt I would burst any second as I looked down at her.

"I think you know how I feel about you by now. But in case you don't; I love you too." I said. And I don't think I've ever said truer words.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Don't shoot! I know it's been a few weeks – I had to go back to Spain unexpectedly for a week and life has been soooo busy since then! I know there's not much ScoRose action but __**next chapter is probably going to make a few of you faint with the crazy Rose-Scorpius action.**_

_And that's all I'm going to say for now, mwahaha!_

_Please review,_

_Love, Sarita x_


	34. Chapter 33: Making A Statement

**Chapter 33: Making a Statement**

Over the next week, Sarah and James admitted to us that they were back together. James did so gleefully, clutching Sarah's hand and grinning like a Cheshire cat while Sarah smiled in a kind of bittersweet way with sad eyes. I was worried about her… it's a lot easier to worry about other people, and a lot more distracting from worrying about my own burden. Becky and Dom had high-fived and Albus had grinned knowingly and shook his head like he saw it coming. Scorpius had just looked at me with an undecipherable smile. They were stealing every possible moment together and I couldn't help but feel jealous at their relationship – it was complicated, but not as complicated as it would be if they were the ones having a baby.

Currently, Sarah was eating her lunch next to me, stealing glances from across the hall with James, when we were interrupted by Amy, who strode across the hall towards us.

"I'm having a party for my birthday next weekend," she said in a dull voice, rolling her eyes as if talking to us was about as desirable as tonguing the Giant Squid. "James says if I invite you lot then I can use the Room of Requirement," she added with a huff. Sarah and I looked at each other as she dropped a piece of parchment on the table in front of us.

"We'll be there," I said stiffly and she let out a breath of relief and marched back to James, who winked at Sarah.

"She does know that James doesn't _own _the room, right?" Sarah asked incredulously.

I raised my eyebrows at her in a dry expression.

"I forgot who we were talking about," Sarah nodded. I grinned at her as a welcome face appeared at the table.

"Hi, Scor," Sarah greeted casually as she squirted ketchup on her chip sandwich.

"Alright girls?" He replied, sitting down opposite us.

"Heard about this?" I pushed the invite over the table. He picked it up hesitantly.

"Party at the Room of Requirement Feb 16th. Bring booze," he read aloud after checking the hall for professors. I nodded.

"You're going to this?" He asked incredulously.

"Why not, I have such little excitement in my life and by mid March I won't even be able to play Quidditch, James says," I sighed. Sarah rubbed my shoulder soothingly.

"Plus, Chelsea will probably wear something horrendous for us to laugh at?" She offered in way of comfort. I smiled.

How true.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

It was always hard to get Sarah on her own. She was not spending _too _much time with Danny, but any time with him and not with me made my blood boil. I finally pinned her down the night before Amy's party. I was being forced to go by Sarah. I didn't know what her agenda was, but she seemed fascinated when the four of us, all secretly messing around, were together. To me, it's a bit too incestuous for my liking. I shut the door of the abandoned classroom I had dragged Sarah into and transformed two chairs into a more comfortable sofa.

"Can we talk?" I started nervously. "There are so many things I need to say to you." I added without letting her reply. I'd been working up the courage to talk to her since we first kissed again. We hadn't done anything more than that since then. It didn't necessarily surprise me – it hurt me to admit that while I had nothing but ambivalence towards Amy, Sarah felt for Danny and she was finding it hard to be unfaithful. I didn't mind that we weren't sleeping together, but I would be if I knew that she and Danny still were, after everything.

Sarah didn't look surprised at me wanting to talk these things over with her. In fact, she sighed and looked anxious. We sat down together on the loveseat, hands clasped.

"Go on, I need to hear this stuff. Tell me everything," she said, looking down at our intertwined hands forlornly. I drew in a breath.

"Well, when I heard you'd got with _him _at the party, I didn't know what to think. I thought everyone was joking, fooled myself into believing that you couldn't possibly go out with someone else if you still loved me…" I said shakily.

Sarah was beginning to wilt, her head bent and hair dangling over our hands. I carried on, knowing that if I stopped now she'd never know just what I'd gone through and how much I really did love her. I owed it to her.

"And then I asked Amy out, thinking she'd say no, purely to find out from Ro what your reaction was. She said you didn't act like you cared, and I knew then that you couldn't possibly feel anything for me," I sighed. Sarah let out a strangled cry and looked up, sadness all over her face.

"It hurt me so badly James. But I hid it well. Too well apparently," she said, smiling sadly. I drew a thumb across her cheek and she kissed the palm of my hand.

"Then that night I found out you were sleeping with him…the night I kissed you… well that destroyed me… I thought I knew for sure you didn't love me, because the thought of me sleeping with someone else made me feel physically sick… and then I kissed you…and I'm pretty sure you kissed me back," I continued, swallowing the lump in my throat and feeling a lot more triumphant.

"I wanted to," Sarah said quickly, cupping my cheek and moving closer to me. "But with Danny… I couldn't just … well you know," she sighed, clutching my hands once again. I nodded, and I must've looked pained because she looked up at me and ran her fingers through my hair, playing with it at the back of my neck softly and sending pleasurable shivers down my spine.

"If it helps, afterwards he went all blokey and annoyed. That was our first argument," she admitted, playing with the hem of her robes now. I allowed myself to smile smugly for a moment.

"So much has happened, love," I said, throwing an arm around her and drawing her in.

She bit her lip.

"I'm so sorry for everything Jamie," she said, her voice quivering. I pulled her into me and kissed her head.

"I know. It doesn't matter anymore," I lied.

Of course it mattered a bit – I loved her and I knew she had been in the arms of another man and probably would be again. It hurt so badly… but it was my fault the two of us broke up. If I hadn't seen fit to test her, she would never have left. I sighed heavily, starting to realise that she was the victim really. It wasn't fair for me to be hounding her after I hurt her so much. It wasn't fair for me to monopolise all our mutual friends for comfort and allow them to think she broke my heart, when really, I broke hers every day. And she never said a word… Never even said to Rose that she was the injured party and admit that _I _had been distant and cold and nonchalant, and she hadn't done anything wrong except to be mad enough to fall in love with me.

"I'm sorry I blamed you for poisoning Danny. And for trying to kill you with my bat," Sarah said, laughing sadly. I looked up at her and I forced a chuckle.

Even now she's apologising for things that really we both have some responsibility in. Mum was right – this girl was always looking out for me, was always fighting in my corner, she always had my back.

"Why didn't you tell anyone that it was my fault we broke up?" I asked, the laugh falling from my face. Sarah looked torn and her eyes were glossy with unshed tears.

"I was ashamed. You loved me so much and then one day…you didn't. It must have been my fault," she said, blowing me away once again with her heartbreaking insecurity. I took her hands firmly with my own and stared at her until she looked at me.

"It was my fault. You know that now, right? I don't know why I tried to push you away… I wanted to know how deeply you really felt. I took it way too far. But it was nothing, _nothing_ to do with not loving you," I said firmly, still holding eye contact to assure her of my honesty.

Her glistening eyes darted between my own. She nodded calmly, sniffing back the tears.

"I can't blame you for being with Danny. It hurts, but I can't blame you, ever," I said.

"He'll never compare, James. No one ever could," she said quietly

"I'm sure some men would. But you'll never get to find out… or at least I hope you won't." I said, leaning away from her slightly trying to catch her eye. She turned to me and kissed me tenderly.

"I don't want to find out what other men are like. I just want you." She sighed breathed, allowing me to kiss her neck countless times in wordless thanks. That was all I needed to hear from her right then.

What ever possessed me to ever give this up?

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

"Amy told me today the party is fancy dress," Becky said the morning of the party, rolling her eyes. Becky was the only one Amy would really talk to, since Dom was so snappy, I was defensive and Sarah was not her favourite person for obvious reasons. We were sat in the common room, just us four girls.

"I hate her," Sarah said, glaring into the fire. Dom put her head on Sarah's shoulder and her arm around her.

"Think of it like this – you're shagging both her boyfriends," she said in typical Dom fashion. Sarah let out a laugh despite herself and rested her head on Dom's. It wasn't helpful for me to point out that Sarah wasn't actually sleeping with James again yet and Amy and James had never slept together.

"What are you going to wear?" Becky piped up.

"I would go as a beach-ball but I think I'm already there," I sighed. Becky patted me on the arm comfortingly.

"You aren't that big Rose. It's barely noticeable!" Dom replied kindly, looking over at me, for once serious and not joking that I look like a swollen whale. I rolled my eyes in reply, but I appreciated her trying.

"I'm probably just going to put some stripy leggings on and say I'm a pirate," Becky offered up.

"I've got that long black dress that hides all my sins. My hair's a mess so I'll just put a black scarf over it and say I'm a nun," I said. The humour wasn't lost on the girls, who laughed at the idea of a nun with a pregnant belly.

"I'm going as a slut," Dom shrugged.

"Same old then." I replied, dodging her slap.

"You've just given me an idea," Sarah said, leaping up and running upstairs. We all followed her, curiosity having got the better of us. She was rummaging through her trunk.

"Becky, have you got that horrible pink catsuit we all wore to one of last year's parties? Remember? I had a red one, Rose wore green, Dom's was blue and yours was pink… remember?" Sarah urged. "It was for one of James' themed parties? You had a spare grey one in case it didn't fit," she added, grabbing a fire-engine red, PVC all-in-one with a zip down the front out of the bottom of her trunk. It made a wet, rubbery noise as she dragged it out. Becky turned around and, after rummaging in her own trunk for a bit, pulled out a similar outfit in a hot pink flavour and passed it to Sarah, who thanked her quickly and rushed from the room.

"Get yours ready girls, that's what we're wearing tonight!" She shouted over her shoulder.

"What the hell?" Was Dom's opinion on the matter.

I have to say I agree.

* * *

><p><span>Amy<span>

"Do you think I can put on my false lashes on with magic?" I asked Chelsea, who was sat opposite from me in our common room. Chelsea didn't look up from her magazine.

"I've seen your wandwork – I wouldn't even try it," she said flatly. I sighed and went back to painting my nails when Sarah Addams slipped through the portrait hole and after greeting a confused Albus and Scorpius, made a beeline for me.

Oh god, please don't say she's found out about me and Danny… _shiiiiit._ I tried to get up from the sofa but a clawed hand held me in place. Chelsea. She'd do anything to see some drama, even willing to throw her so-called best mate to the she-wolves.

"Amy," Sarah greeted me neutrally, standing over me. Chelsea released her hand and raised an eyebrow at Sarah.

"What are you doing down here, half-blood?" She snarled. Sarah turned to look down at her.

"None of your business, Chelsea. Run along and do your makeup for later tonight, it'll take you long enough," she snapped back. Chelsea let out an exasperated, stroppy growl and she flew out of the chair and huffed downstairs to our common room.

I looked up at my visitor. She smiled down at me, red lipstick shining.

"I know we haven't been the best of friends, but I was thinking we could go the party in themed outfits later?" She asked. I was totally confused.

"Err… why me?" I asked. Sarah held up a plastic bag.

"Where are the nearest girl's toilets…? I'll show you!" She replied brightly.

Curiosity more than anything made me lead her out of the common room and down towards the dungeons to the toilets. If this was a trick to get me on my own, it was working, but if she had plans to rough me up she didn't betray them. We reached the toilets where she put the bag down and began smoothing down her thick black hair in the mirror. It's so long, how does it not distract her? I can almost see my sodding reflection in it!

"So, a little girl to girl chat, hmm?" She asked, batting her long thick (and mascara-less) lashes at me.

"Yeah." I replied trying not to sound grumpy as I admired my own reflection.

The patches of dry skin I get sometimes over my cheeks were back… I'd have to slap the makeup on thick tonight to cover it up… and to try and compare with Addams and Weasley… even _pregnant_ the girl was a beauty, and as for Addams… well, I hate her but even I can admit she sweeps the floor with every other girl I've ever met. Except maybe Chels and me. I like to think I can compare, or Danny wouldn't be doing me behind her perfect back. As for James, well he's mine too; it doesn't matter that he wants her so badly that every time he sees his ex the table rises six inches.

I need to find a way to make him belong to me, but seeing as he's apparently 'waiting until marriage' I can't even sleep with him to try and turn his head. Damn.

"Would you like some advice?" Sarah asked, leaning over the mirror to carefully inspect her liquid eyeliner. I bit back a scathing, albeit not witty remark.

"Go for it," I said, examining how well my makeup covered the acne on my chin.

"Good," she leaned into me and I leaned in too. "James loves the fake look. Leather catsuits, false nails, hair extensions, fake tan... he loves the whole shebang."

"Really? But you're so natural looking most of the time." I said cynically.

"Yes, but he's not going out with me is he?" She said, raising her eyebrows as if that settled the matter.

"That's a point..." I said, mulling it over. Maybe that's why he kicked her to the kerb.

"You should wear this tonight," she said, pulling a hot-pink PVC all-in-one suit out from the bag.

"It's in your size. It's one of Becky's," she said simply, handing it to me.

"...Thanks…" I said uncertainly. "I'll do it...but only if you wear one too. I'm not embarrassing myself alone," I said quickly, trying to out-fox her for once.

Sarah turned around and smiled before she pulled another PVC red catsuit out from the bag.

"Oh, I intend to," she said, still smiling.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

"Where's Sarah? Danny is here so she can't be with him and you lot are all here… Do you think she's got someone else on the go?" I asked Albus over the music. My brother rolled his eyes.

"Of course she doesn't have anyone else you stupid tart. Look, you've been obsessed with her for years and now you finally have her back, can that not be the end of the obsessing?!" He asked, shaking his head. I let out a sigh, knowing he was right. He usually is.

Until I saw them.

"Is that _Sarah_?" Scorpius' voice said in my ear. I was too busy staring at my girlfriend… and my secret lover. They had walked in together, Sarah and Amy. Danny, who was stood in front of me about three feet away turned to face them so quickly that his hand flew to the back of his neck as he cricked it. Becky, Rose and Dom entered behind them, all wearing grey, blue and green matching suits respectively.

Matching, rubber catsuits.

Amy had stupidly high heels on and still only came up to Sarah's shoulders. She had her hair scraped back with a headband in ridiculous curls sticking out like an eighties rock legend. It was so long… was it extensions? I could see her false eyelashes from here they were so unreal and the zip was halfway down her chest on the all-in-one, showing her cleavage. Her lips were painted several shades lighter than her skin, which was so orange that it looked like she had just rolled around in pumpkin juice.

Sarah on the other hand, wore no heels – she felt like everyone stared at her if she did. Her hair was poker straight for once, unlike her usual casual waves. She had limited makeup on except dark smoky eyes but her breasts were bulging out of her more modestly unzipped outfit. I've never seen her in something so body-hugging – the last time she wore this cat suit I was so drunk that I just wanted to see it on the floor instead. I closed my mouth, only just realising it was hanging slightly open, and looked around me – almost all eyes were on the five of them. Chelsea was looking Sarah up and down from behind the two of them, before looking over Amy and seeming to come up short for a response there too. Danny's mouth was slack, his arms hanging loose at his sides. Even Albus had nothing witty to say.

Becky had bright red lipstick and liquid eyeliner on as well as bright silver high heels. Her boobs were on show too, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a distraught Rich leave the party. Poor guy – I know that feeling. Rose seemed most uncomfortable in her green catsuit – you really could see her baby bump through the weird PVC material. It was at that point I noticed that all five girls were holding placards.

What fresh hell is this now?

Becky stepped forward to stand beside Sarah and Amy and Dom and Rose followed suit, holding their placards up in the light.

"**Yes, I exist!**" Becky's read in her big curly lettering. She gave a lopsided, dry smile as she held it up for all to see. As if perfectly choreographed, Amy held hers up next.

"**Yes, I wear a lot of makeup!**" Amy's read in block letters. Sarah was next and she flipped hers over.

"**No,** **I'm not just a pretty face!**" Sarah's writing said.

"**No, I don't look a lot like a Veela!**" Dom's read, voicing the casual comment everyone usually made when they learned of her heritage – "You don't have much Veela in you!" It was practically a death warrant. Rose was on the end and hers was last.

"**Yes, I'm ****pregnant****!" **It said in typical Rose fashion. Everyone clapped uncertainly at first but it grew louder and louder and there were cheers as they all took a bow.

They were crossing the room over Danny, but I had already left and was heading towards the bar… what the hell was Sarah playing at wearing that outfit, with her body so on-show.

I don't know what statement they were trying to make really. This isn't public humiliation for Amy and Danny – this is public humiliation for me – I can hardly throw my jacket over Sarah and frogmarch her out of here.

The resounding truth that she wasn't mine came crashing around me as I ordered my drink and a guy with a thick accent looked at me.

"She's _gorgeous, _what's her name_?_!" He said, nodding over at Sarah, who was having numerous drinks pressed into her hands by boys who wanted to see her outfit on the floor almost as much as I wanted to see it covered up.

"Doesn't matter, she has a boyfriend," I replied,

"That can be changed," he said simply.

"You break us up and I'll break your face," I snapped. I don't know who he is – someone must have smuggled him in from Hogsmeade or something.

"Ahh, so _you're_ her boyfriend," he said, apparently not recognising me in the dancing disco lights.

"I'm her ex. But I will be her boyfriend again, so stay out of my way."

"All right, calm it. I'll look elsewhere. Can't blame a bloke for looking at her though..."

"Yes I can...stop looking!"

* * *

><p><span>Albus<span>

I don't think I've ever really noticed how pretty Becky is… She's usually so overshadowed by Sarah and Rose who are more in-your-face beautiful. I don't know why I never saw it before… the way her palest of pale blonde hair dances whenever she moves because it's so thin and fine. She's got these really cute chubby cheeks that make her look a lot younger than she is, but her eyes are gorgeous.

How could I have been so blind?

I found myself drawn to her and I walked over there. Rose was stood next to Scorpius and Becky next to her while a bewildered Sarah was practically being crowd-shuffled away from us, Danny at her heels.

"What's this about then?" Scorpius asked, looking at Rose uncomfortably.

Her boobs were getting massive and were obviously putting strain on the zip that held them in (it's okay to talk about her like this – I'm her cousin.) Scorpius was looking anywhere but her body, clad in the weird shiny leather material, obviously not wanting to think about how her thighs and bum were filling out the outfit in a shapely way. He did seem to notice her stomach though, protruding as it was between her hips.

"We all feel invisible half the time, and at the same time everyone seems to have an opinion about us," Rose shrugged. "Plus, why is it only women who get judged as harshly as we do?" She asked hotly, not directing her anger at anyone.

I could feel a full-blown feminist rant coming on, and since I know that they usually end with either me, Scorpius or James (or once all three) getting a sharp slap around the ear, I quickly gave her something else to think about.

"Invisible? Rose you're pregnant! Not even dad's invisibility cloak would hide you now!" I laughed. Scorpius gave me a lopsided smile as Rose's open hand collided with my cheek, though she half-smiled and didn't put much force behind it.

"I'll go and get you some pumpkin juice, I asked James to supply some for you," Scorpius said before turning and disappearing through the throng. Rose watched him go, looking touched at his gesture.

"Why are you torturing him? He already worships you." I asked Rose suddenly. Becky looked at me, alarmed for my safety.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, looking hurt instead of angry.

"Well, you have got your bump on show… and you are a bit blasé about your situation even though Scorpius' dad isn't replying to any of his letters on the subject and even _your _parent's letters have been shorter than usual. I'm just saying it's a bit much seeing as he's finally coming around to the idea of being a father…" I tailed off suddenly, realising that my cousin's eyes had become waterfalls. She let out a strangled sob before turning and literally running from the room.

It was Becky's turn to whack me around the ear, and she put a good deal of force behind it.

"Moron!" She huffed, but before she could go after Rose, Scorpius, who had been walking back over to us, dropped the plastic cup of juice on the floor and after a quick glare my way, sprinted after her.

Bloody hell, sometimes I'm as tactless with Rose as James is.

Rose

"Not so fast!" Scorpius said from behind me as I reached the portrait hall. I gave the Fat Lady the password regardless and hurried over the threshold.

"Albus is right, I look ridiculous." I sobbed, spinning around. I knew my makeup was a mess, but he's seen me looking worse. I seemed to recall the night of the fateful party I had been wearing too much makeup as well. Scorpius just looked at me.

"I'm sure he didn't say that…" He said helplessly.

"He said I'm being blasé about the situation," I sniffed, stomping up the steps to my dormitory. Scorpius waited until I was almost at the door before shifting silently into his wolf persona and padded up after me. I threw the stupid placard onto my bed, making a note to burn it as soon as Scorpius left. He shifted back before I turned around and found him inches away from me. I could feel his warm breath on my lips.

"I don't care, Rose," he said, looking at me meaningfully.

"You don't care that your father won't answer your letters?" I asked quietly.

His look of stubborn determination didn't change.

"I don't care, Rose." He repeated, doggedly.

Is it just me or is he getting closer?

Suddenly, his lips were soft and on mine, just for a second. He looked at me as if for confirmation.

"We're both scared, but we're both in it together. At least we can find solace in each other," he said softly.

Without even having to think it through, my hand was gently pulling at the zip on my horrible outfit, peeling the material from my skin and leaving myself as bare as I would ever be with anyone, emotionally as well as physically. His eyes didn't dart for a second from my own as his shaking hands found my hips and brought my lips to touch his again. My hands found the buttons of his shirt and I began undoing them slowly while we kissed and kissed and kissed, putting every single unsaid word, every plea and every teardrop into it.

The rest, as they say, is history.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry this chapter took a while but it need a bit of tweaking! Dare I say it, but I'm actually happy with this chapter :) Hopefully you all are too, and Happy New Year! ;) Please review :) -Sarita x


	35. Chapter 34: Breathing Easy

**Chapter 34: Breathing Easy**

Interesting. It was definitely interesting.

Reckless? Definitely. Selfish? Certainly. But satisfying? You bet.

I would panic later, probably for a long time, but for now, I was…content. He was right – we had found solace in each other. I had no doubt in my mind this would complicate things, but for the time being, why not comfort each other through a bewildering and scary time for the both of us. His sleeping breathing was calm and unperturbed by the inner ramblings of me. The girls hadn't even come back yet. Well, Danny had walked Sarah back, but after about ten minutes she had crept back out to spend the night with James in the Room of Requirement, muttering to herself darkly about her boyfriend's ongoing betrayal. Dom was in the boy's dorm with Steve but I truly had no idea where Becky was.

I thought I would be awake forever, worrying about when I would start to worry (obsessive much, Rose?) but as these things usually go, I was asleep within seconds.

I awoke to birds tweeting, and a sleepy Scorpius dressing at his own pace, realising that the girls were nowhere to be found. I watched him lazily, still perturbed by the fact that I was oddly calm about the situation.

"Comforted?" I asked quietly. He jumped slightly but turned around and smiled down at me warmly.

"Of course," he replied just as warmly, giving my shoulder a squeeze through the duvet.

"You're getting better at this," I smiled. "Been getting some practice in?" I asked as casually as I possibly could.

"Nope," he replied. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Look Rose, last night was amazing, but don't you think it'd complicate things, what with the b… baby and everything?" He stammered.

And just like that, I realised that this time it was me who was going to be rejected.

* * *

><p>"What happened last night?" James asked Sarah and me together, referring to the catsuits.<p>

"We just wanted to give people something to talk about. They talk about us all the time anyway," Sarah replied flatly. James waved her off impatiently as I stared at the foot of my bed.

"_I meant_, why the hell did you involve Amy?" James asked, frowning at us. I actually looked up, wondering the answer myself.

"Did you see Danny's face? More importantly, did you see_ Chelsea's_?" Sarah laughed. "Danny looked mortified – he didn't know who to throw his coat over and frogmarch out of there and Chelsea seemed to finally realise that she can take almost everything from you Rose, but she can never, ever take your friends. And her only friend was more than happy to go along with us to her own party," Sarah said. James looked at her admiringly.

I finally couldn't hold it in anymore… these two were my best friends and I have to get this off my chest.

"So me and Scorpius had sex last night," I said suddenly, more casually than I felt. Sarah's eyes widened and she looked at me open-mouthed. James just looked perplexed.

I ran through the whole story, right up until the moment when Scorpius said the fateful words this morning.

"So what happened then?" Sarah asked, literally on the edge of her seat on her bed later that morning. James had followed her up and Dom had come up later.

"I just kind of acted like it was okay..." I shrugged, still somewhat shell-shocked, munching on a piece of toast Sarah had brought up.

"So… what now?" James asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"I don't know, I guess we just don't sleep together again," I said, staring but not seeing at the foot of my bed. Sarah gave me a sympathetic look.

"At least you've got Quidditch until next month-ish," she offered.

"We've got a friendly match on the 20th of March," James said. "You'll be able to play for then, but after that I'll have to arrange someone to take your place," he added thoughtfully.

"Who was on the reserve?" Sarah asked. I looked at James – I couldn't remember either.

"Hugo," James grimaced and I couldn't help but laugh.

"He's not that bad surely," I said.

"Rose, at tryouts he tried to fly _through_ one of the hoops and got stuck. Sarah had to go up and help him out," James said pointedly.

"Well… I'll just have to coach him then!" I said brightly. James and Sarah both looked like they were both going to warn me off it, but I quickly cut them off.

"I don't have to get on a broom; I'll just show him the ropes!" I said loudly before they could say anything.

"Fine. I'm not expecting him to be a patch on you Ro, but if he loses us the cup I will hold you personally responsible," James sighed.

Turns out I'm not the only one with a competitive streak.

* * *

><p>"It was good; just try to slow down your broom <em>before<em> you hit the ground next time…" I grimaced at my useless brother while I helped him up from the floor. "Come on, it's getting dark." I said, pulling off his gloves for him. He grinned at me.

"That was the best I've ever played, Ro!" He said excitedly. "We might have an actual chance this time. Dad says…" He tailed off suddenly, realising his mistake.

"Dad says what?" I asked quickly. "You've heard from dad?" I snapped.

"Well, sort of. Yeah," Hugo looked sheepish.

"What's he said?" I asked as we made our way up to the castle.

"He actually told me to tell you to send him a letter of when your next scan is," he said, looking like he's just remembered it.

"I don't have another scan for two months," I replied, "but, I do have an appointment with some other doctor on the 22nd of March. Two days after my last match," I sighed, glancing up at the hoops over my shoulder.

"Well, send him a letter. He and mum want to go with you I think," he replied carefully.

"Why don't _they _write to me?" I asked stubbornly as we stood in the Entrance Hall.

"I got the impression that mum keeps trying but dad wants to talk to you in person."

"So he's stopping mum from writing to me?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, kind of. Not because he doesn't want to talk to you, it's because he does want to talk to you. You know dad, he doesn't know how to handle you – you're a girl," Hugo shrugged.

That's true.

"He didn't even know how to talk to me when I wasn't pregnant," I sighed. Hugo looked uncomfortable, like he did every time I mentioned my situation.

I know my brother – it's not because he is ashamed of me or anything, it's because he doesn't want to think of me not being a virgin. Nobody wants to think of their sibling like that.

"Thanks Ro," Hugo said suddenly wrapping me into a hug. I laughed and we broke apart.

"Go and have a bath, you stink," I said, dismissing him.

As soon as he had disappeared up the stairs, I turned and power-walked to the Owlery. It seemed that my parents were expecting a letter from me.

* * *

><p>I got a reply to my short letter just twenty minutes after I had sent it.<p>

"_Rosie,_

_Your father and I would love to come with you._

_I miss you babs._

_Mum xxxxx"_

I didn't know how to write back, so I closed the window of the common room and turned back to Sarah, who was sat watching the fire casually. The common room, as usual, was deserted at this time of night. Becky and one of Steve's Hufflepuff friends had been dragged to Hogsmeade on a double-date set up by Dom and Steve. Even James wasn't around utilising Sarah's free time or trying to charm his hair onto a houseplant.

"What are you and James doing, Sarah?" I asked with a sigh, folding the letter from my mother and tucking it into my bra, right over my heart. I turned to her, still leaning against the window but no longer letting the cold air in through it.

"Sorry Ro, I was miles away. What?" Sarah asked.

"You and James… why not just be together. Are you that hell-bent on revenge?" I asked.

"She says, as if she's above revenge," Sarah commented with a raised eyebrow.

"Touché," I shrugged.

Eventually I couldn't bite my tongue any longer.

"Sarah you're my best friend and I love you… why did you never tell me how much James had hurt you?" I had to admit that it stung that the girl I loved like a sister had hidden her pain from me for so long.

Sarah's face showed a flicker of the same hurt, just for a second. It was as if she were expecting me to get on her case about treating _him_ right.

"It was… I just…" She looked on the verge of tears and I crossed the room and patted her head. She let out a laugh and I was relieved to see the tears were not about to spill. I can't take anyone crying without joining in, like it's a group activity.

"He's your cousin, Rose. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you too," Sarah said, looking in my eyes with something I hadn't seen in them before… fear.

"What makes you think I would have taken his side?" I asked, putting my arm around her and we sat down together on the big sofa, me pulling some of my stashed chocolate from down the side of the cushion and pushing it roughly towards her face. She took a piece and held it in her fingers as she looked at me, still with those sad eyes.

"He's your family, family matters," She said simply, finally eating the chocolate.

"You know what, Sar?" I began. "Family isn't about whose blood you have. It's about who was there with you when you thought you were totally alone. You are as much my family as James is." I said, trying not to cry and at the same time patting myself on the back for what I think was a good little speech. Go, fatty.

Sarah hugged me suddenly and we both started to cry, almost simultaneously.

"Oh god. Did you two try cutting each other's hair again? You know it always ends with two girls with bald patches playing Quidditch." Becky sighed from behind us, patting us both on our shoulders with a concerned expression.

We wiped our eyes, laughing now and looked up to see Dom and James stood behind Becky, James looking as if he was torn between asking what was wrong and running away from the crying women.

"Cheer up, chicks. I'm going to marry her and then I'm going to put a baby in her and then you'll both be fatties together!" James said happily, pointing at Sarah, who spluttered a laugh.

"Least romantic proposal I've ever heard." Sarah said dryly, looking up at my cousin with loving eyes nonetheless.

* * *

><p>"Good luck Miss Weasley. I will see you afterwards," Madame Pettifoot dismissed me as I took the floo powder in my hand and bade her goodbye as well. Almost as soon as I stepped out of the fire, I was enclosed in the hug of my mother. I clutched her as if my very life depended on it and my father gave me a small smile from behind her. Mum let me go and I approached dad cautiously. Would he want a hug from his disappointing daughter…?<p>

Apparently so, because he grabbed me so tightly to him that I could only smell his faint aftershave and the smell of our wood burner at home. I didn't even notice the tears falling, but fall they did. Eventually dad let go and wiped at my tears.

"Is Scorpius coming?" Mum asked gently, glancing at dad over my head. I shook my head.

"Hmm," Dad said, his lips pursed, closed upon unsaid words. I didn't catch mum's warning glare at him.

"Come on then, in we go," Mum said, guiding me into the small room where a doctor in her mid-fifties greeted us all with a smile.

"Please take a seat," she said, gesturing to the chairs in front of her.

"This is just a preliminary meeting prior to the birth. We wanted to know your thoughts on the arrangement for the day. We believe every woman has the right to the perfect birth for her and to feel safe and secure in our care. You've already me your midwife Ann and so you've already had time to get to know your main carer on the day. So, do you have any questions about the big day?" She asked with the same calm smile.

"Err…" I said. What kind of questions were there?! The woman seemed to notice my confusion at the question.

"For instance, how many people would you like present for the delivery? We can accommodate up to four people but you may have as many visitors as you like during the first stages of labour and after the birth as long as they aren't all in the room at the same time. They will be asked to check in and out of the ward when they visit and there is a designated waiting room for any visitors with refreshments and the like."

I took in all this information with difficulty.

"Uhh… yeah I'll have the maximum amount of people allowed with me please," I said. "Other than that, I just want a normal birth…" I trailed off uncertainly. Mum squeezed the hand she held in hers. The doctor smiled at the three of us.

"I was in my last year of midwifery when I was assigned your mother," she smiled, nodding at me. "She was pregnant with your little brother. She was in the middle of her third trimester when her original midwife came down with Vanishing Sickness and had to take four months off. Your mother was one of the most difficult patients ever entrusted into my care," she smiled at the memory and I looked up at mum, who was blushing.

"I didn't recognise you," Mum apologised with a smile. Dad raised his eyebrows and nodded with her.

"I didn't know Hugo's was a hard birth…" I said uneasily.

"It wasn't the birth that was the problem. Your mother was still working two jobs – one a stress-laden career at the ministry and the other managing the pub – The Basilisk Fang. On top of that she was the mother of a two-year old – you – and touring the country and Europe to promote S.P.E.W." The doctor said, looking over at mum despairingly. Dad let out a laugh.

"See, Hermione. I knew you were working too hard," Dad shook his head and I felt strangely happy to hear this memory of my hardworking mother and her refusal to take it easy.

"Two weeks before she was due, your mum went into premature labour… in the pub," the doctor added with a smile.

Mum laughed… it was a story we had heard many a time – mum was working a busy winter's night while dad looked after me, Albus and James in the back with Uncle Harry while they tried to listen to the Quidditch on the radio. Aunt Ginny was behind the bar and mum was trying to interview a band for the next weekend in between taking orders and mingling with customers and friends who popped in. She was also entertaining the Malfoys who had come to check the place out. It was then that she, in between rushing to quiz the band and sharing a virgin cocktail with Astoria, began getting severe cramps. Astoria had sat mum down with some water, evacuated the bar single-handedly and called her husband, who had sneaked away into the back room earlier with little Scorpius. He had notified dad and Harry, who quickly floo-ed the hospital but by that point it was too late. The media were pressing at the windows with their cameras and Harry, Dad and Draco had to bar the doors and make sure the blinds were drawn. After that dad nervously paced the back room while Harry and Draco tried to calm him down and watch us kids at the same time. Ginny and Astoria together had to try and talk mum through the labour and the midwife didn't arrive until it was all over – mum was sat with the baby Hugo in her arms when the doctor managed to push past the press and hurry to mum. Mum and dad nostalgically looked at each other and shared a sweet smile, dad finding mum's hand and kissing it.

"And now we're going to be grandparents…" Dad exclaimed incredulously, still looking at mum, shaking his head, but not in despair, just in disbelief.

That was the first time I got the feeling that my father was coming to terms with my situation.

And I breathed easy for the first time in months.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Things appear to be sorting themselves out, don't they? Still to come is an unfortunate wake-up call for Chelsea, some alone time between Rose/Scorpius, a wedding, the birth and probably loads more that I haven't written yet in between times :) haha! Please review, I read all of them!**_

_**-Sarita x**_


	36. Chapter 35: Potions and Plans

**Chapter 35: Potions & Plans**

"So how did it feel, your last match?" Sarah asked me tentatively the next morning. I sighed and rubbed my big belly. I'd just finished taking out my last robes to accommodate the massive fatty I had become.

"Awful. I hate being off the team," I moaned. "But I didn't feel too good being so high up and so heavy. It's hard to sit on a broom for that long in one position. In a way, it's a good thing," I admitted. I was trying to look on the bright side of things, and nothing had got me down since yesterday, when dad gave me a huge bear hug before he left, promising he would see me soon.

"Good for you, Rose," Becky said from the other corner of the room. She had slinked off to read a book Albus had recommended to her and was getting snippy with us when we tried to talk to her as she read, so we had given up on including her in the conversation. I smiled at her and she dog-eared the page of her book and came over to sit with us.

"You won't be left out of Quidditch anyway; Hugo is doing really well and I have a lot of fun watching in the stadium," she shrugged. "When Slytherin aren't playing the boys come and sit with me too," she added with an encouraging smile at me. I grinned between my friends.

"I don't know what I would do without my mates," I said to the two of them, but including the others in my statement. Sarah patted my shoulder.

"What's the point in having friends if they don't have your back?" She said, elbowing me with a cheeky grin.

I snuggled into a blanket that lay on the back of the armchair and Sarah read out her essay on the pros and cons of using Unicorn tail hair in potions for us to make suggestions. I must have drifted off, because when I awoke I found Sarah sat on the floor beside a huge, black wolf-like dog, who was making a deep rumbling noise as she combed the fleas out of his fur.

"Is he growling at you?" I asked, blinking to see that the room was empty; my wristwatch said the time was half past midnight. James's doggy eyes were closed in apparent pleasure.

"No. He seems to think he can purr. He's trying to start a new craze," she said, flicking a dead flea into the fireplace. "It won't catch on you know," she added to James, scratching behind one of his ears and standing up.

James 'purred' louder, looking rebellious as he stood up and followed her as she tiptoed past me, tucking me back into the blanket and dropping a kiss on my head as she went up to bed.

* * *

><p>The next morning I awoke to find myself less tired than I expected to be, but my belly was rumbling for attention in the form of a bagel and my back ached a little.<p>

"Ready for potions?" Becky asked, looking at me from the sofa.

"Why did I sleep down here?" I asked. Sarah looked over at me from trying to stuff her books in her already full bag.

"We didn't want to disturb you," she shrugged as Danny put his arm around her.

Sarah visibly cringed and I grimaced at her as I reached my hand out to her for a hand up from the squishy armchair. She broke Danny's grip and smiled in thanks as she helped me up with a grunt.

Soon, we found ourselves down in the dungeons, where Albus, Scorpius, Freddie, Chelsea and Amy were waiting outside the classroom. Freddie managed a genuine albeit tired smile at me but soon went back to chatting to Rich, who was looking worn and tired. Albus immediately monopolised Becky to ask her what she thought of the book he had lent her, a move which didn't go unnoticed by her watchful ex boyfriend. Scorpius shot me a small smile, one that warmed up his eyes, and I went to stand over by him while Amy fussed over James and tried not to look over at Danny, who had finally cornered Sarah for a kiss. Chelsea stood alone; without Caitlin Denoir and Carla Zabini she had nobody to bitch with when Amy wasn't there.

"She's not as popular as she thinks she is, is she?" Scorpius said, nodding over at Chelsea, who was pretending to file her nails but looking wary of the scowls my friends were shooting her way.

Even Becky, who had too much of a baby-face to look truly menacing, had perfected her death-stare and was shooting it over at Chelsea, partly to avoid the unwavering stare of Rich, who was stood with Freddie.

Scorpius hadn't troubled to keep his voice down and Chelsea flushed puce furiously, clicking her heels on the flagstone floor and refusing to look up. I had to say it was good to see her vulnerable, it seemed that without her posse of bitches around her, she was about as threatening as a puppy in a Christmas hat.

"Sorry class, thanks for waiting. My first-years just smashed a huge jar of pickled pumpkins and the clean up operation was simply astronomical," Professor Middleton shook her head, looking ditzy as ever as she ushered us all in.

Sarah and Dom flanked me as we made a beeline for our usual table at the back. Becky grabbed the end chair, with Albus next to her. James, who hadn't managed to escape Amy as easily as Sarah had avoided Danny, had to bring her to the table too, to our dismay. Danny, Freddie and Rich grabbed the table over from ours, and shared it reluctantly with Chelsea. Scorpius, who had come in last, looked at the table with Chelsea and Freddie on it and baulked, grabbing a chair and squeezing himself in next to James, who grinned at him, shaking his head.

"Don't get too comfortable, class. I am putting you into groups today and, as you can tell, on every desk lies a different, mystery potions ingredient. All of them have one very important thing in common and anyone who recognises any of the animal-related items and their connection has been doing their research!" Professor Middleton said gleefully. We all looked at Becky and Albus, who rolled their eyes while still managing to contain a smile.

"Everyone to the back of the room!" She added and once we were there, she looked down at her desk and back up again. "I will call the first six names and those people will pick a desk and then will be allowed to pick their four teammates for this exercise." She explained before clearing her throat.

"Rebecca!" She called and Becky, after looking momentarily shocked, walked over to the desk at the front of the class, where she obviously recognised the ingredient we were supposed to decipher.

"Albus!" the professor called. Al picked the desk next to Becky and smiled at her shyly.

"Margaret!" Was the next name. A plump, dark-haired Slytherin girl took the desk nearest us.

"Cliff!"

Some people give their children really unfortunate names. I mean, come on! My brain took a little wander along this vein for a while, until I realised my own name was being called by Becky. Surprised, I took a seat next to her and immediately recognised the feather in front of us on the desk. A hippogriff feather. _Hugo's _hippogriff feather. I looked up, panicked at Becky, who looked calmly at me before she called Sarah's name. Albus called Scorpius' name, followed by Freddie's and Richard's and then, in a surprise move, called Amy's name. He shrugged at us as if to say 'she's a bitch, but she's good at potions.' Becky added James, Danny and Dom to our group in no surprise move.

Eventually, Chelsea was the only person who wasn't picked by anyone.

And boy did it feel good to see her being the victim for once.

* * *

><p>"So, Rebecca and gang, can any of you tell me the reason this otherwise perfectly good hippogriff feather can't be used in potions?" The professor asked halfway through the second hour of the lesson. For almost an hour and a half we had been testing the feather in various ways for safe usage and it had failed every single test.<p>

"This feather belongs to a human. An animagus." Becky replied coolly. At this, Scorpius and Albus looked up quickly from their own table and down again to their own, single, red fox hair.

MY fox hair. We all looked between each other for what felt like minutes. I instantly remembered the night we had all caught Lily and Albus shifting by the lake, and the scrap that had followed. It would have been entirely possible that Hugo would have lost a feather, and I some fur. This information begged the question; what else had they found? How much of our incriminating fur was in this room?

"Well done, Rebecca! That's right class; every single ingredient sat upon your tables appears to be a perfect specimen of its kind, however each and every one would be totally unsuitable for use in potions as they belong to an animagus. The DNA involved is 100% human and therefore would probably backfire spectacularly if used in any potion which called for a pure animal ingredient," the professor explained.

As she was explaining in her dreamy voice, I watched Sarah carefully and deliberately setting fire to the feather Becky had conveniently put on the desk in front of her. Albus, following her lead, pocketed the fox hair he held in his hand and looked around the room with us. Dom nudged me to become aware of Margaret's group, who were studying a distinct black tuft of dog hair I recognised to be James'. The man himself scratched his head as he eyed up the fur. That's when he, deftly and deliberately, pointed his wand over at Margaret's table and, before anything could be said or done, it shot across the room towards him in a silent Accio charm. Thankfully, the items we needed to retrieve were so small that they were easy to drop or lose. Plus, our professor was so boring that everyone had zoned out and perfected the art of staring at her with a cocked head to look interested. The rest of the class didn't bat an eyelid as their subject matter conveniently disappeared. All in all, we covertly retrieved a tuft of deer tail (Lily's,) a thick, pale whisker belonging to Albus and a piece of matted grey fur clinging to some mud which Dom smiled lopsidedly at.

As the lesson drew to a close, we all grinned at each other and filed out of the room to the sight of our Professor literally scratching her head, pondering where 6 different specimens of animagus samples could possibly have disappeared to…

* * *

><p>"Where she even found them is anybody's guess. What kind of teacher goes skulking around the forest looking for animal products?" Dom asked later that night, stabbing at her chicken and shaking her head.<p>

"Err… Hagrid?" I offered with a chuckle. My good mood had lasted all day for once, and as the others laughed with me in agreement, mum's owl Sprite arrived with the rest of the evening post, clutching a letter in his beak. The dessert appeared on our table as I opened the letter he was carrying and Sarah ladled me up some sticky toffee pudding as I read the letter written in my mother's careful hand:

_Dear Rosie,_

_It was lovely to see you yesterday, babs. As the Easter Holidays are in two weeks, your father and I decided that you and Scorpius should spend some time together. We just want to ensure the two of you understand the responsibility you share together now, and we want the two of you to spend some extra time together before the baby comes to find out how raising the child is going to work. Draco and Astoria Malfoy have agreed to this plan, and with that in mind, they have kindly offered to let the two of you live together in one of their cottages in Hogsmeade for the two weeks of the holiday. Of course, you will be able to come and go as you please, but we feel this time should be spent together so you and Scorpius can arrange everything for the baby together and that Scorpius should be entitled to a bit more input. _

_Over the course of the fortnight, you should treat it as you would treat your own home – you will have to look after yourselves, but you can also have your friends over to stay._

_Anyway, love. We'll have time to talk about it when we come to pick you up two weeks Friday._

_Lots of love,_

_Mum and Dad_

_xxxxxxxxxxxxx_

I knew I was being set up with yet another cupid attempt, and yet I didn't actually mind. In fact, I was strangely happy by the news and I smiled over at Scorpius on the far table. He, in turn, held up a letter too and I knew it must be a similar one to mine.

At least Mum and Astoria's meddling couldn't possibly be as dangerous as Lily's.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Just started writing chapter 40 and there's so much ScoRose fluff flying around that it's hard to see my computer screen :P Hope you liked this chapter, the two of them living together temporarily sure promises a lot, doesn't it? ;) review please :)_**

**_-Sarita x_**


	37. Chapter 36: And So It Begins

**Chapter 36: And So It Begins**

"Wicked! PARTY!" James whooped as he read mum's letter over my shoulder in the common room later that evening.

"No bloody parties," Sarah rolled her eyes at James before turning her attention back to me.

"Silence, woman!" James said mock-sternly, although he winked.

"Isn't it going to be weird? I mean, the guy just rejected you," Sarah pointed out to me. I sighed.

"Yeah, I know. But if I'm honest, I've seen myself naked recently and I wouldn't be all that keen to get down with Moby Dick," I said, gesturing to my stomach, thighs and hips.

"You are kind of weird-looking nowadays," Dom offered tactlessly.

I rolled my eyes in thanks and even James looked shocked. I also realised that when my hormones went bi-polar again later I would probably cry for hours over that comment. I'd become ridiculously sensitive lately.

"Dom!" Becky said in surprise, looking between the two of us. I shrugged and Dom grinned at me. Our dynamic is a weird one.

"So the pregnant look isn't 'in' this season. I don't think Scorpius turned you down because your hips have their own postcode," Sarah said dryly. She gave me a look over the jumper she was taking out for me and I cocked my head.

"Teach me, mighty sensei!" James replied, grinning at her. I looked at her imploringly too.

"Well, earlier he seemed pretty happy with the Easter arrangement too; maybe he didn't just want to be a fuck-buddy," Sarah said, sticking her wand behind her ear as she found the seam-line on the jumper. I cringed at the expression like the repressed prude I am.

"Fuck-buddies are something that Dom has. They're not something that I have; I never wanted that from him," I said, giving Dom a sideways look.

Okay, so maybe the 'Rose is fat' joke stung a little. And maybe the 'Dom is a slag' joke would make up for it.

"I'll give you that one," Dom said, nodding sagely at my comment, "but I have been with Steve for like, two months now. And I haven't slept with anyone else!" She said, looking pleased.

"Congratulations, you've finally reined in your vagina," James said sarcastically. Dom stuck her tongue out at him.

"But seriously, what if Scorpius wants a relationship with you?" James added. I looked at him – the thought had never crossed my mind that Scorpius might have actual human feelings on the subject.

"We can't… we're having a baby together!" I spluttered stupidly.

"Yeah Rose, that's actually the norm… y'know, to be in love with the person whose baby you're having?" Sarah laughed and I blushed at my ridiculous statement.

"If he wanted something more from me, Easter will be the perfect time to say it," I said calmly, although panic was mounting in my heart.

He can't want something more than we already have, surely?!

* * *

><p><span>Scorpius<span>

"Isn't it going to be awkward, just the two of you?" Albus asked in the common room late that evening.

"Like we're going to be able to keep James away from a house without adult supervision," I replied with a chuckle. Al grinned and nodded.

"Good point, but honestly, won't it be weird? I mean, you guys did sleep together again recently. And she's a _little bit_ pregnant with your baby." Albus added, looking put-off by the idea of his cousin sleeping with anyone.

"We're going to have to have some kind of relationship – we're going to be tied together forever," I conceded. "But I don't think she wants anything more than that," I added.

"You mean she doesn't want what _you_ want," Al said. I was immediately both amazed at his intelligence and wary of it.

"I don't want anything," I lied. I wanted… I don't actually know what I want yet. But I know I want Rose to myself.

I'm a greedy sod like that.

"Don't lie to me, mate. We've been friends for seven years; I know when you're telling a naughty fib." Albus laughed and I grinned crookedly.

"Anything we need to discuss, I'm sure it'll come out over the holidays," I said carefully.

"You mean you're going to tell her how you feel? You know, after you figure it out yourself," Al asked. I looked over at him sharply and he smirked at me.

"You've got two weeks to figure out what it is you want from her," He said. "Just don't mess her around, okay?" He added.

I nodded slowly.

"I won't ask anything from her I know she can't give," I sighed. Albus looked at me, but didn't comment on my sudden gloom. He does know me too well for both of our own good.

"Well, good," he replied lamely, before making his excuses and traipsing down to bed, leaving me to wonder what exactly it was I wanted from Rose, and whether she had anything at all to offer me.

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

"How do you think Rose is going to react if Scorpius wants to get serious with her?" Sarah asked me later that week as we lay together in my bed.

The _muffliato _charm had been cast before she had even come up to my dormitory as arranged. I kicked the covers off my half-naked body due to the heat and looked down at her, lying on my chest.

"She'll freak out, as she always does, then she'll probably get you to apparate to her, as she always does, then you'll tell her she's going to be okay, as youalways do," I replied with a shrug.

Sarah leant on her elbow and looked at me, her fire-engine red bra being revealed to me again as she cocked her eyebrow. I could feel the fire in my eyes as I held her gaze and she slowly drew circles in my chest with her fingertips.

"I was thinking we could just…talk this time." I said, grabbing her southward-heading fingers and using the small amount of blood that was still going to my brain to stop her.

My body screamed at me, but what I actually wanted was a long-term plan to keep the girl of my dreams, instead of grabbing the odd opportunity to sleep with her whenever her _boyfriend _wasn't around. Even _thinking_ the word boyfriend, admitting in my own mind that she wasn't mine hit me in the centre of my heart.

She sat up and faced me. The small amount of moonlight coming through the curtains around my bed lit up her shining hair and soft, beautiful curves as the blanket fell away from her body. She held my gaze though, and looked genuinely interested in what I wanted to say.

If only I could remember my own damn name.

"What's going on with the revenge thing? I mean, we've been back together almost a month and yet I still can't brag to _anyone_ or tell my family how happy I am again." I said with difficulty, trying to ignore everything from her neck down.

"Well, thankfully I actually have an idea for that. For tonight," she replied. I sighed a breath of relief.

"Thank god. What is it?" I asked.

"I'm going to stay here tonight," she replied. I instantly took back my relief and was on the defensive again.

"Err, if you haven't noticed your real boyfriend, you know, the one who actually _can_ brag about having you, sleeps in the bed next to mine. If he sees you lying in my arms he's going to rip off little James. And we all know that's your favourite part of big James," I said, like she was insane. Which she clearly is. She gave me a soft smile, and leaned forward to kiss me, sneakily unhooking her bra at the same time.

"Trust me," she purred in my ear. I looked down at her.

"You know, you can't win all debates like this," I said, without sounding like I even believed it myself, since one of my hands was in her hair and the other sliding down her back.

"I can try," she replied, giving me her cocked-eyebrow-I-own-you look.

"Go on then..." I practically gasped.

The next morning, I woke up feeling like I could fly without a broom, and do magic without my wand, and run around without legs… All kinds of mental shit.

That's when I saw her.

My bed-curtains were completely drawn and while all the other guys were asleep, the girl lying next to me was clearly only pretending.

The girl was Amy.

"What the-?" I hissed, jumping away from her and pulling my boxers on. 'Amy' grinned at me.

"It's me you moron," Sarah said, looking at me through Amy's eyes.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed. She looked at me; the red bra she wore again was at least four sizes too big on her now, and the matching pants were looking loose as well. I had never seen the real Amy this bare – I avoided it as much as humanly possible.

"Where have your boobs gone?" I whined.

Sarah began to laugh Amy's brittle giggle but stopped suddenly, looking over at the next bed, where Danny was starting to stir. She made sure the curtains were fully open before she dropped her head onto my chest and feigned sleep. When Danny finally opened his eyes, he found himself looking right over to where his secret girlfriend/real-girlfriend-pretending-to-be-his-whore was asleep on my bare chest.

Even I'm confused.

"What the fuck?!" Danny said loudly, sitting straight up, before he remembered himself. Sarah grinned into my chest, but the other boys were stirring at the noise he had made.

He had given himself away, and all three of us knew it.

"James, come on man. It was okay when it was Sarah; we _all_ wanted to see what she was hiding under that Quidditch gear-" at this, I actually felt Sarah's face get warm in embarrassment against my body "- but no Slytherins, man," Steve reproached as he wandered, tousle-haired, into the bathroom. Danny followed him, fists clenched.

"Sorry guys, I forgot the curtains! Silly me!" I smirked, drawing the curtains around me and casting the muffliato charm outside them without looking.

Amy's brown hair was starting to darken and lengthen as I watched – it seemed the potion had lasted just long enough. It's a good job our gang always has a good supply of Polyjuice potion at hand to get into mischief, courtesy of Rose, Albus and Becky. Sarah sat up and I literally watched her boobs grow and fill out her bra once again. Her waist thinned and her hips expanded, her legs lengthened and became shapelier again. The pale skin darkened to the colour of light caramel and her dark eyes lightened to blue as her lashes thickened and her plump lips returned.

God was I happy to see her.

"You scared me," I said, clutching her to me.

"Phase one of our plan is complete though," Sarah offered in reply, looking up at me with a smirk.

And I couldn't help but feel smug too.

* * *

><p>We walked down to the Great Hall quicker than everyone else – we managed to sneak out while all; the boys were in the bathroom and while Sarah went to shower and change and I waited, I filled Rose in.<p>

"God she's good," Rose mused with a crooked grin after I finished, having left out most of the bits where either of us was naked.

The girl herself flew down the stairs a moment later, smelling of fresh passion fruit and oranges.

"Well done, I'm glad you're finally on the way towards being properly together," Rose congratulated us as we walked down to get food together. Dom and Becky were sat with Scorpius and Al at the near end of the table and so we plopped down next to them.

"Where's Danny?" Becky asked. "He hardly lets you out of his sight," she added with a grin.

"He's outside in the foyer arguing with Amy. I saw them on the way in; he was saying something about red underwear?" Scorpius shook his head like the whole thing was mad. Sarah laughed and looked at me from across the table. Her foot found my leg under the table and she kicked me playfully. Rose grinned at Dom, who looked confused and we began filling everyone in.

Finally, it felt like things were falling into place.

* * *

><p>Just a little rest before the ScoRose action begins, the next chapter sees the parents again, as well as Scorpius showing Rose around their temporary home. Hope you enjoy, please review :) -Sarita x<p> 


	38. Chapter 37: Belle Cottage

"I don't want to go home yet. I need to stay here and live in the library and revise," I moaned to Sarah as we loaded our things on the train a week later.

"You've not done much but eat and cry over the last week anyway Rose; I'm surprised you can see your notes over through all the tears and custard," Sarah said, making a very good point. I tried not to let her see the tears springing into my already puffy eyes but as we found our seats she turned to me.

"Oh love, not again," she said soothingly, rubbing my arm as James sat heavily down next to Scorpius who was looking totally confused at my mood swings.

"I just love you all so much!" I sobbed, bursting fully into tears.

"Should I slap her again?" James asked for the second time that week. Sarah batted him away as he reached for me and Scorpius gave him a half-confused half-scared nod at me.

"She's fine. What is it this time, Ro? Did you see a mother duck with a duckling in a magazine again? Because an hour and a half is a long time to laugh-cry," Dom sighed, sitting down next to Scorpius, who shifted up to allow room for her and Becky. Albus squeezed himself in next to Sarah and patted her on the shoulder in support.

"No touching, little brother," James said with a grin. Albus rolled his eyes. James was always teasing him for holding a candle for Sarah, much to Becky's annoyance and Sarah's embarrassment.

"Just none of you die, okay? Just don't," I wept, trying to stem the flow of tears with my robes sleeve.

"That kind of interferes with my plans next week… you know, get dressed, have breakfast and die," Dom said sarcastically as the train started its journey to London.

Finally I stopped crying long enough to take my robes off so I could get off the train in plain clothes.

"God, I'm so sweaty all the time," I complained as I grabbed my trunk an hour later.

"I have never felt more attracted to you," Becky laughed as she grabbed my trunk for me. James 'helped' me off the train by carrying me bridal-style to where our parents and grandparents stood.

"Mum's here Ro, I'll catch you over the holidays," Sarah said, pointing to where her mum was waving at us all, beautiful as ever.

"When you get settled, owl me. Love you," she added, giving me a hug. She kissed her fingertips and placed them on my stomach too. "Bye baby, see you soon," she said in a whisper, making my heart swell (not literally, I'm pretty sure that would be cause for concern.)

I think I'm going to cry again… dammit.

"Where's my kiss?" James hissed, pulling her into a bear hug. They were finding it weird to pretend they weren't in love, when they so obviously were.

"Sar?" Danny said in an irritated tone from behind them. They broke apart quickly and James looked at her as well.

"I'll see you over the holidays, right?" Danny asked inquisitively. Sarah nodded with a false smile and as he went in for a kiss, she turned her head so he caught her cheek instead. He raised his eyebrows and blew her a kiss as his brother led him away. James rubbed her shoulder.

"Amy left as soon as we got off the train, I saw her disappear. I think they've broken up you know." James said, watching Danny's retreating back with mingled surprise and loathing.

"I don't care. Our relationship was broken when our trust was," Sarah replied with a hard look in her eyes.

"That's my girl," James said with a grin, taking her into his arms again as Hugo, Lily and Dom stood chatting to our assorted family.

"Quick, go on, give me a kiss," James said, looking down at her with the same love he'd had since he first laid eyes on her. Sarah looked around and drew James into her, pressing her cheek to his lips. He dodged her though and captured her lips for a second. Nobody noticed as life bustled all around them. Sarah blushed and grinned at us both before turning and heading off with her mum.

"I'm going to marry that girl one day," James promised (threatened) as we turned to our parents, a sweet, calm smile on his face.

I've never believed anything he's said as much as I believe that.

* * *

><p>"You've got so big, Rose," Nana said, holding me at arms length. She didn't look disappointed, she sounded more nostalgic, as if seeing me had brought back memories of all the happy pregnancies this family has had.<p>

All of us are proof that there has been a hell of a lot.

"I know nana; I just took out my last robes," I sighed, giving her a hug and a kiss. Dad grabbed me for a hug next and looked over my shoulder to where Scorpius stood.

"My mum and dad said you were going to be taking us to yours to get some things then going to Hogsmeade…" Scorpius said uncertainly. Mum nodded and patted him on the shoulder.

"That's right love," she said, looking down at him kindly. Dad stuck out his hand suddenly and gave Scorpius one of his famous crushing handshakes. To his credit, Scorpius didn't react and dad raised his eyebrows, apparently impressed despite himself.

"Hugo went to put his things in the car and wait for us. Are you both ready?" Mum asked gently, her arm around what used to be my waist. I nodded with a smile up at her and followed dad out to the car, waving at my friends.

The car ride home was cramped with Hugo, Scorpius and I squeezed in the back. It was also quiet – when mum wasn't making conversation with us, dad was beadily watching Scorpius using the rear-view mirror. I think I'm going to cry…again.

Thankfully, and miraculously, the traffic didn't keep us and we were home before we knew it.

"Sit down kids, we'll go and grab the stuff we need," Mum said as she plonked her keys on the kitchen table and pulled out a chair for me, stroking my back as she walked past.

"Mrs Weasley, is it okay if I get a drink?" Scorpius asked politely before she and dad could go upstairs. Dad just looked at him and mum practically fell over herself to grab him a glass from the cupboard and put it in front of him.

"Please, call us Hermione and Ron. As you've seen at Christmas, there are a lot of 'Mrs Weasleys'," Mum said gently with a smile.

Dad looked slightly put out, like he'd rather be referred to as 'Sir' or 'Master of the Weasley house' or 'King Ron of the United Kingdom of Weasleys' but he says nothing. Scorpius gave her the same nervous grimace he'd given me in the car and at the station, and nods while mum and dad plod up the stairs. They returned about five minutes later with two large bags.

"Come on then guys. Hugo, say goodbye to your sister," Mum said, patting his shoulder.

"Bye Rosie," Hugo said, pulling me into a hug. I patted him on the back, willing the tears not to come and for once they don't. He grabbed Scorpius by the hand and shook it with a grin before shuffling out of the room in that teenage-crab way of his.

"I've got your bags, Ro," Mum said, grabbing the trunk I had made to pick up.

Scorpius flushed pink in apparent mortification that he hadn't had the idea to carry my things for me first, and dealt with it by grabbing a handful of floo powder and throwing it in our huge kitchen fireplace. I smiled wonkily after his spinning body and grabbed some powder myself, flinging it into the flames with a cry of 'Belle Cottage,' my hands clamped around my large bump.

Mum and dad came after as I regained my balance. I was drawn into a hug almost the second I had by Astoria, who had only just let go of her son. Draco stood behind, looking half the man he had when I last saw him. His usually perfectly barbered hair was longer than usual, his robes were creased and he looked as if he'd lost some weight around his middle. His cheeks were gaunt and he was even paler than usual. Astoria too looked thinner – she apparently had missed a hairdressers appointment as some silver hairs around her temples showed clearly in the late March light. In fact, as I thought about it, mum and dad were looking older and more tired – mum had slight bags under her eyes and her hair was looking duller than usual, and dad had dark circles around his own eyes.

It was then that I realised the media sensation surrounding my pregnancy had truly taken its toll, and I restrained myself from tears for the second time that day. Sarah had been flatly refusing to let me read any of the papers, and for once I listened to reason – I found that I didn't want to read what anyone said about me. Since I was in school, I had been protected from the media frenzy and the reporters dying to know every shocking detail of my situation. However, now I realised I would be subjected to it as my family so obviously had been.

Mum and Astoria crossed the room to each other and hugged, each gripping the back of the other's robes for comfort, and neither realising how long the hug was going on. I had never thought about how lonely they must feel – Astoria hadn't got the family support mum had, and nor had she many friends, and she gripped my mother for dear life, both sharing the other's grief for a life they would never get back.

Meanwhile, dad strode across the room and Draco made the effort to smile, relief in his eyes, bringing his hand to dad's in a handshake and clapping the other hand on my father's shoulder as he greeted an old friend. Mum and Astoria broke apart and Astoria wiped a stray tear as she smiled at mum, who squeezed her hand and they all turned to us.

"Live as you would normally, I'm sure you'll have people popping in to see you all the time." Mum explained, turning to me and gripping my clammy hand with her own dry, soft one.

"I'm only down the hill in the pub if you need me anyway," Dad said, pulling me into an awkward hug. Even more awkwardly he patted my stomach and withdrew, clearing his throat uncomfortably, finding more comfort in my mother's soft touch on his arm than he ever did anywhere else. Mum stroked my hair and gave me a sad little half-smile, though her eyes looked hopeful.

"I'll pop down next week, I'm sure you'll have forgotten something and owled me by then anyway," Mum laughed, cupping my cheek with one hand and touching the hand that I held to my belly with the other.

I gave her a watery smile back and they left as quickly as they had arrived, after mum wound her way into Draco's arms. For a second, it looked like she held his gaze, wanting to find confirmation that they would all be alright, and Draco gave her a genuine, soft smile without any trace of a smirk, and gave the slightest of nods. She kissed Astoria's pink cheek, as did my father, and they left. Astoria was close behind and left after mum but as Draco crossed the room to the fireplace and turned to look at us, he seemed sad. He squeezed Scorpius' shoulder tightly and gestured me closer as well. His cool hand found my upper arm as he held us both in goodbye. He seemed to struggle for words, but his hand on my arm comforted me in a way that even Astoria's warm hug hadn't.

"Look after each other," he finally said in a strangled voice, after struggling to choke out any words.

Scorpius and I nodded mutely, and just like that, everyone was gone.

* * *

><p>"This place is lovely," I said after Scorpius had given me the guided tour – there were five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a spacious kitchen-living room separated by the worktops of the kitchen and a small dining room tucked at the back of the house. There was a mini herb garden in a large pot on the kitchen windowsill and the living room window had a seat in it looking over Hogsmeade. From here, I could even see Hogwarts looming majestically over the town. I had instantly fallen in love with the simple layout and easy pastel colours of this well-lit house, and found myself wishing I could live here for good.<p>

"I've always loved it," Scorpius agreed with a grin, watching me try to tuck my knees up to my stomach in the bay window seat, which was painted white and had small pink and purple cushions scattered along it.

"Where do I sleep?" I asked casually. Scorpius shrugged.

"I usually sleep in the back room." He said. I remembered it – it was spacious, as all the rooms were, with deep purple carpets and cobalt blue walls. I nodded.

"I might sleep in one of the downstairs bedrooms," I said. There were two downstairs, but I had my eye on the one with the en-suite bathroom.

"I'd imagine all the stairs at Hogwarts are killing you," Scorpius offered.

Things had never been awkward between us, but right now the silence in this high-up house was deafening. When we're together, we're usually in the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts, or the chaos of The Burrow, but here it seemed all the world's silences were condensed into one gaping hole of quietness.

"I told Al that he should come over tomorrow night and bring James," Scorpius offered. I nodded.

"I invited Sarah up on Sunday night to stay, I think she might be bringing Danny – is that okay?" I asked. Scorpius nodded fervently.

"Of course, we're meant to treat this place like our own," He said honestly. I nodded at him, letting the silence envelope us once more. I knew that the longer we stayed here together, the more we would talk… probably about awkward things.

"I'm going to have a lie down; do you want help with your things before I do?" Scorpius asked after he stifled a huge yawn.

"No, you go on up," I said with a fake smile. He nodded and patted me on the shoulder as he passed me, leaving me to contemplate what the hell we were going to do with all this time.

* * *

><p>James, Albus and Dom wound up at our place the next night. Thankfully, Dom had thought to bring a pizza with her and we shared that while we discussed life, the universe and everything.<p>

They all stayed that night – Dom had staked out the room opposite Scorpius while James had the front bedroom overlooking the village and Albus took the other one. Scorpius didn't seem to mind that my family were invading his home, in fact when we all sat together eating and had taken my hand and stroked my belly for a second, while nobody was looking.

Somehow I think that at this early point in the holiday, Scorpius was glad to be eased into spending time alone with me by having our friends around at first.

The next night, Sarah was due to arriving at about five, and while James had told us that he was going to go home, as soon as he found out she was coming he was determined to stay, and when he heard that Danny would be coming too, he was feverish with determination. Neither Scorpius nor I minded, and Scorpius even wrote a letter to Becky inviting her along too, seeing as the rest of us were all here. It was on the joking condition that she brought Chinese food, and she didn't disappoint, turning up with about twenty cartons of the stuff.

"There's no duck is there?" I asked sternly. Becky rolled her eyes.

"No, Rose, we all know that you don't eat duck on moral grounds." She said.

"They're too cute." I shrugged.

Scorpius smiled over at me and I held his gaze while our friends tucked into the masses of food. If I were in a cheesy mood I would have said that time slowed down, but it didn't, not really. We were having one of our 'moments' and I didn't want to ruin it by over thinking it, but Baby kicked me while another warm smile spread across Scorpius' face and lighting up his eyes, almost as if he or she knew that their father was giving me goosebumps and butterflies with just a smile.

James soon broke our moment by offering Scorpius a beer, which he took gratefully and gulped down. James passed around more to the others, but Sarah didn't take one, apparently out of solidarity with me as she squeezed my hand and passed me prawn crackers. Danny accepted a beer too and clinked his with Albus, who got dagger-stares from James. Becky soon started gushing about a muggle who had bought her a drink the night before, talking about his sandy hair and blue eyes, and I saw Albus visibly wilt, as if the news had taken the wind out of his sails. Sarah watched him hawk-like as well, and raised an eyebrow at me with a knowing half-smile. Dom was oblivious, chatting away to Danny about Quidditch.

"How are you and Amy, James?" Becky asked innocently, although Sarah and I had our eyes firmly on Danny, who seemed to grip his drink tighter but otherwise made no signs of anger.

"Well, I think she might have someone else on the go, you know," James sighed convincingly and turned to Danny. "Women, eh. Fickle as they come." He shook his head. Danny looked fleetingly alarmed but masked it quickly, although Sarah and I looked at each other swiftly. Becky smirked at us and even Dom looked less oblivious than usual.

"Why do you say that?" Dom asked sweetly.

"Ahh, you know her type. She's a slag," James shrugged casually, giving Danny a sidelong glance. Scorpius barked a laugh.

"You've been with her like 6 months…" Becky pointed out.

"I like whorish girls. Makes me feel like a pimp," James said, looking smug and sounding uncharacteristically arrogant, folding his arms behind his head and watching Danny as he set his beer down carefully, hands shaking slightly.

However, the fun stopped as quickly as it started – Sarah apparently decided against openly tormenting her boyfriend and flashed her eyes at James, calling off her loyal dog. He immediately came to heel and allowed Albus to quiz Danny on his favourite Seekers. He flashed Sarah a sweet smile, the action warming his eyes too, but within a second it was gone as he was roped into the Quidditch conversation by Scorpius, who shot me little glances every so often, I think to check whether I was okay.

* * *

><p>"Night all, see you in the morning. See you in a minute Sar," Danny called over his shoulder as he walked up, following Albus up as he showed Danny to his room. I could hear Dom brushing her teeth upstairs and gargling nonsense to Becky, who was replying every so often with little comments.<p>

"I'm sleeping next door to you; don't think that I won't hear any funny business," James said once Danny was gone, wagging his finger half-sternly to Sarah as the four of us washed the dishes out by hand. I had my hands in the scalding water, enjoying the tingle as I rinsed all our plates and passed them to Sarah, who dried and passed them in turn to Scorpius, who was putting everything away since he was the only one who knew where it went. James appeared to be 'supervising.' Sarah sighed and looked at me.

"Do you think I'm making a mistake?" She asked. James spluttered indignantly behind her, throwing his hands into the air, making Scorpius grin as he took a plate away from James, who was miming smashing it over his girlfriend's head.

"Not with him, I love him, even though he's trying to smash crockery over me." Sarah added without even looking at James, who looked nonplussed at her awareness, making Scorpius chuckle deeply.

"What with then?" I asked, handing Scorpius a wet dish, our fingers meeting under it. I didn't look at him, though I felt his eyes on me, still smiling.

"Danny. I don't think he's genuinely bad, just misguided. I wish I could ask him why he did it," she replied earnestly. It was Scorpius who spoke, surprising all of us, even himself.

"If he loved you, he would never have done anything that could hurt you, intentionally or not," he said sagely. James nodded, for once not joking around.

"He's right," James said, nodding to Scorpius, who turned pink. I instantly wished I could have him beside me that night… I have no idea why.

"Thank you…" Sarah said, trying not to look surprised as she hugged Scorpius and handed him the last dish. I emptied the sink as James patted Sarah on the thigh and led her up to their separate beds, stealing a kiss on the stairs. I turned to Scorpius.

"You were amazing!" I said, wondering whether I would have been able to comfort Sarah in a single sentence.

"Ah well, don't be so modest... you provided the candles and Barry White music," Scorpius replied with a grin, seeming to have taken on some of James' light humour. I gave a genuine laugh and kissed him suddenly on the cheek before wishing him goodnight and leaving for bed.


	39. Chapter 38: Hormones

_Author warning: Rated M for a reason… enjoy!_

**Chapter 38: Hormones**

Scorpius

Where do I begin? How do I find the words to tell Rose that she's all I've wanted since I first saw her at the train station with her cousins? Would it help her to know that the reason I pushed past kids bigger than me and fought like a little blonde bullet to sit opposite Albus on the first train ride ever was to get closer to her? I don't know. How is it that I've found it in myself to forgive her for lying to me… for making me believe that the baby couldn't be mine… could it be that I am actually… _happy_?

She's happier than she was, in a way, and in another way she's more depressed than ever. Her life is easier now that everyone knows, but with this knowledge, sadness came – she knows the toll the worldwide sensation has had on our families. Even our friends are bombarded – when Sarah and Danny left yesterday, the press were pushing at the gates at the bottom of the drive. He led her to safety to apparate, but James growled through his teeth, either at the media dogging his family or at Danny's casual touch on his girlfriend's back.

I know how he feels… the one thing I can't forget about the whole situation is that Rose was with Freddie, knowing that my baby was inside her… it throws me into such a jealous rage whenever I think about it, that sometimes I take it out on her… even though it's in the past and for all she knew I was sleeping with Chelsea. The night I spent with Rose two weeks ago at the party was amazing and innocent and tender, but afterwards all through the night when I woke to watch her sleep, her arm wrapped protectively around my child, I thought of the nights she had slept with him, despite myself. I wondered whether she undressed for him the same way she had for me – totally unselfconsciously - whether she clutched at his back and drew him in the same way she did for me, or ran her fingers through his golden hair and whispered _his_ name as sweetly as she'd breathed mine. Reliving the night made me want her all over again, but it is bittersweet – while I long for her touch, her body, her love, I wonder if she pines for me as hard, or whether it is another man she thinks of when she's awake at night. I want so much to sleep next to her at night, feel the heat of her skin on mine, and in the morning to hear her whisper my name and look at me with _those _eyes that tell me she wants me too.

That's the reason I had to turn her down. I can't live anymore wondering whether I'm the only one… whether she's finding comfort in someone else as well as me… whether she sees me as a two-time mistake. I want her to comfort me, and for me to comfort her, I just can't seem to get past this insecurity on my own.

And until I can, there can be no future for Rose and I.

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

I fingered the soft material of the dress nervously. It was just as stretchy as Victoire said it would be, but I didn't want to imagine the way I looked in it. It had arrived this morning, an A-line heavy silk dress that looked like it was spun from pure gold, with a cream trim on the thick straps. I instantly wondered whether I would be able to fit my huge, heavy breasts into the dress, never mind my more than noticeable bump. Since our friends all went home yesterday I've noticed Scorpius' eyes on my body, trying to fathom where my melon-boobs suddenly came from. I know better than to think he finds me attractive in the state my body is in. It's more a morbid curiosity to see me in all my naked hideousness.

"Are you going to try it on?" Scorpius asked from behind me, making me jump and throw the dress back into the tissue-lined box it had come in this morning, carried by three eagle-owls.

I spun around on the bed; he had come in without making a sound.

"No, I think I'll just leave it for a surprise for next weekend," I admitted grimly. The wedding was the weekend we went back to Hogwarts, all of our gang was invited; me, Dom and Lily were bridesmaids and Scorpius and James were ushers. Victoire was sad to say that she wasn't having a huge wedding so we couldn't all be in it, but I think Albus and Hugo were glad not to be on show. Uncle Harry and my dad were joint best man and Aunt Ginny was acting as mother of the groom.

"Go and try it on. I'd like to see it," Scorpius said gently. I looked at him and sighed, wondering whether he asked himself why he'd chose me out of all the girls at school to get pregnant… seeing Sarah looking lean and fierce and raven-haired and Becky's slight, petite body made me agonise over my own hefty form, don't even start me on Dom's stick-thin figure.

I saw no room for argument and so disappeared into my bathroom and swiftly threw the dress over my head, hoping Scorpius wouldn't notice my purple stretch marks on the tops of my boobs. If he did, he said nothing when I stepped out. In fact, he looked at me so long that I wondered if he'd had a seizure.

"Does my bump look big in this?" I joked finally, hoping for him to say something, anything.

"You look beautiful." He stood up and untangled one of my dress straps from my bra strap. His hand slid over the material, all the way down to my belly, which he stroked calmly.

"Get changed back before you spill something down it. I'll put the kettle on," he said before he smiled, kissed me on the cheek, patted me once on the stomach and left.

I sighed and did as he suggested.

* * *

><p>As we sat next to each other on the sofa with our scalding cups of tea steaming gently on the coffee table, I had a sudden bizarre feeling in my gut. I let out a choked sound and Scorpius looked at me, concerned. I grabbed his warm hand and pressed it to my stomach, my wide eyes darting between his.<p>

"It's kicking!" I exclaimed. Scorpius looked at me with the same wide eyes and we grinned at each other.

"I've never felt anything like it!" Scorpius replied, awed.

"Luckily for you, the baby isn't doing a river dance on _your_ bladder," I said, excusing myself.

"Scan tomorrow," I said in conversation when I returned from the bathroom. He nodded at me.

"I haven't been for a while," he replied uncomfortably. I sensed his guilt and patted his hand.

"I don't blame you. And neither will Baby," I said with a smile. Scorpius looked relieved.

"Do you want to talk about… what happens… after?" He asked, looking uncomfortable again. I sighed.

"I suppose we ought to. We aren't going to be at school forever…" I replied.

"What were your plans?" Scorpius asked, looking at me sideways, as if he'd wanted to know for a while. I looked down at my hands pressed over my stomach.

"It doesn't matter now. I'm going to be a mother; it's a full time job." I shrugged as if it meant nothing. It wasn't exactly true… I wanted to work at the Ministry, maybe as an Auror, maybe in something like law or another department. I had done some work experience with mum when she was working for the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures and loved it. I didn't have dreams that were solid… I thought I was young, that I was going to be able to meander through life as I have been doing. At least the baby has been making me more mature.

"I'm going to help, you know that don't you?" Scorpius asked.

"How?" I replied.

"Well, I was going to ask you whether you wanted to… well, we've been getting on so well and… we're having a baby together, I mean, wouldn't it.." He tailed off meekly and I looked at him blankly.

"Maybe it'd be good if we lived together… full time?" He finally choked out.

I thought about it… wondering what it would be like… it would mean that I could work if I wanted to… we could share childcare a lot more easily, and the baby wouldn't be bounced from place to place to be with its parents…

"It sounds like a good idea in theory… but what if we started dating again?" I asked quickly, imagining how hard it would be to see him parading some bimbo around the place.

"Well, we'd be living together; if we were dating as well it'd be even better, surely?" Scorpius said quickly, as if he'd found the courage from some short supply and didn't want it to run out before he managed to speak. I looked at him… he had totally misunderstood me, but for once I didn't correct him.

"That's a point…" I said, miming thoughtfulness.

In reality I was over-the-moon that he'd jumped straight to the idea of dating me instead of anyone else.

* * *

><p>"Miss Weasley, Mr Malfoy; we're ready for you now," a short, ebony-skinned nurse said with a smile.<p>

I got to my feet with help from Scorpius and stomped in. I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed today apparently, for I had been in a foul mood since this morning. Having to wait for twenty minutes for my scan hadn't helped.

I went through the usual procedure and peeled my top off. The heat wasn't helping my mood – April wasn't supposed to be this warm. Scorpius was even sporting sunburn from walking into Hogsmeade.

"Do you want to know the sex?" Sister Weathers asked, looking between Scorpius and I and hiding the zoomed-in screen in case we said no. I looked at Scorpius. He was wearing an expression of confusion mixed with interest.

"No," I said quickly. It won't change how much I love it. Scorpius looked slightly relieved that I'd made the decision for him and took the copies of the photo but I was finding it hard to push past my irrational anger to see the baby clearly. We wandered out of the hospital, some absolute moron chewing gum with his mouth wide open barrelled into me, standing on my foot. I clutched at my foot and stomach simultaneously and swore.

"Watch where you're fucking going!" I barked at the man, who looked quite alarmed at being shouted at by a mad pregnant ginger. We carried on walking, me stomping and huffing in wordless rage.

"Rose you've hit two people already and now shouted at a stranger; you don't think you have anger management issues?" Scorpius asked dryly as we strode form the hospital.

"Firstly, I'm six months pregnant with _your_ baby, so either _you_ carry around this little spawn of Satan or you shut it! Secondly, James had the decency not to bring that up, and thirdly, do you want to be hit again?!" I snapped. Scorpius looked at my red face and closed his mouth.

"No. Come on let's get you back," he sighed resignedly.

Wise move, snake boy.

* * *

><p>When we got home I had calmed down a bit. I was crying as I sent a copy of the photo to mum, Astoria, nana and Aunt Ginny and I have no idea why. My hormones are going absolutely crazy… one minute I'm on the verge of tears, the next I'm telling everyone how much I love them and that they're not allowed to die, then I'm shouting at strangers and loved ones alike! The worst part is the horniness. Never mind the fact that I can't bend down far enough to shave my legs, or that I have stretch marks that make me look like a bald tiger, I want a man in my bed, dammit. Last night I had a dream that some gorgeous Italian man was nibbling my neck and when I woke up and found it to be a dream I cried so much that I was sick. Then I was fine and ready to face the day. I mean, what the hell? I pity Scorpius and my friends – they don't know whether I'm coming or going and neither do I. Scorpius implied as much as he presented me with a bowl of tomato pasta later that night. He had made us a late tea and it was dark outside.<p>

"Are you feeling better now?" He asked tentatively. I nodded.

"I'm sorry; I'm all over the place. I don't mean it… it's just… hormones," I sighed, wolfing down my food in a few mouthfuls and wiping my mouth.

"What do you mean?" He asked conversationally, looking over at me over his own empty bowl. He had a glass of wine in one hand, and I had a sip of it, but even that had gone to my head. I was feeling fluffy in my mind and Scorpius was more confident with a drink in him.

"Well, one minute I'm angry, then I'm sad, then I'm happy and then I'm _desperate _for sex," I groaned, resigned to my fate.

Scorpius gave me a sideways look and bit his lip, his pupils huge as he drank in my appearance. Something woke within me again and just like that, I was back to being madly horny. Great.

"I mean, I just want to mount every man I see… it's unbearable," I continued, not realising how Scorpius was positioning his bowl over his lap.

"I had this dream the other night and god, I just wanted to scream into my pillow when I woke up and it was just a dream. It was so…" I tailed off. "You're blushing!" I said.

"My hormones are going mad too, I guess," he replied, embarrassed. I soon realised what he meant and I got up and took my bowl to the sink to wash it.

"I'm going to bed," I mumbled, hurrying to my room. I turned around to say goodnight and found him right behind me. His lip was red where he had bit it to control himself, and he wrapped his arms around my waist confidently. I didn't know what to do… do I want this? I know my body thinks I do, but isn't it complicated? Ahhh… why does my brain take a little holiday whenever I'm about to do something stupid?! Then he was kissing me, his body pressed up against me.

Fuck it, I want this.

We stumbled backwards to my bed without breaking the kiss and he let me lie down, drinking in my body as I undressed quicker than I thought I could. He nuzzled into my neck and kissed me, one hand on the back of my head, the other squeezing my hip. Suddenly he froze.

"Have you got anyone else?" He breathed, looking down at me. It was dark in my room, which I was thankful for. I didn't want to see the desperation in his eyes that I could hear in his voice… could not bear to look at the hurt I had caused him. His body was tense, even his back, which I was clinging onto.

"No," I answered straightaway, surprised at the question. He let out a deep moan of relief and I felt his body relax. He positioned himself over me and I whispered his name in anticipation. He kissed me again and again and again and I clawed at his back. He stopped suddenly and looked down at me, leaning on his shaking elbows either side of my waist.

"I love you," he said shakily, so quietly that it could have been the wind outside. I looked up at him and saw only his eyes, shining like dark stars and his light hair flopping into his face. He was truly beautiful. I kissed his flushed cheek.

"I love you too," I breathed back, giving him a squeeze. He shuddered and I held him tightly as he buried his head in my neck.

And I meant it.


	40. Chapter 39: Love Is In The Air

**Chapter 39: Love is in the Air**

We were on the train back to Hogwarts before we knew it. Scorpius and I had not talked about our night together, nor repeated the words we whispered to each other in the darkness, but the little looks he gave me now and again were warm and sweet and whenever he touched my bump and looked into my eyes he seemed to silently say the words all over again.

"How was your holiday?" I asked Becky, who had a slight tan on her usually pale skin.

"Not bad. We wandered around this little monastery on the one day, but nobody spoke English so we didn't learn much," she laughed. She had gone to Greece with her family in the second week of the Easter break. I turned to Sarah, who was being practically smothered by Danny's arm around her shoulders.

"I stayed with a friend all last week," she shrugged with a gleam in her eye. James smirked from Danny's other side – she had been staying with him all week, much to Ginny's delight as she had someone else to help with wine consumption.

"Lucky for you. I had to muck out for most of the fortnight," Dom rolled her eyes. Her parents own a livery for equine creatures named 'Elevage Delacour.'

"How are the unicorns?" I asked. They had recently had a birth in Unicorn Corner; Fleur's pride and joy.

"Embarrassing. Unicorns are such a paragon of purity that they don't trust unmarried women who aren't virgins. You should have seen dad's face when I tried to touch the foal and it bolted," she snorted. "I had to say it was the smell of the fox on me, but I don't know whether he bought it," she added.

"Nobody wants to think of their little girl being 'befouled' by men," Albus said with a grin.

I wondered, not for the first time if he had ever 'befouled' someone.

"My poor old dad, he can't even turn a blind eye to my lack of virginity," I commented dryly, patting my bump. James barked a laugh and even Hugo looked more amused than disgusted. He and Lily were revising in near silence – we had practically forgotten they were there.

"What about you, Lils. I'd like to see whether a foal let you touch it," Dom teased in her usual tactless way. James covered his ears and 'la-la-la-ed' at the top of his voice while Lily blushed.

"I'm sure it'd let me stroke it," she replied firmly, despite her reddening face. Albus crossed his arms and looked at her sternly.

"Better had," he said, looking as menacing as possible, which looked about as convincing as a kitten cuddling a duckling.

"Get your robes on now guys, I can see the castle," Sarah said, lifting down her trunk and giving Lily a lopsided smile. Lily grinned at her in thanks as we all got changed.

* * *

><p>"We've got our potions exam on Friday!" I squawked later that week.<p>

"Yes, but on Saturday it's the wedding so we've got that to look forward to at least," Sarah reminded me.

It was not too busy in the common room for a Wednesday, and it was a free period that just Sarah and I shared. I was rifling through my bag, ignoring the looks I was getting from other girls in the common room – some looking disgusted at my swollen feet and ankles, some glancing fervently at my bump, others were either looking with sympathy or confusion, wondering what went wrong.

"What happened at the cottage then?" Sarah asked in a tone that said plainly that there was no point denying anything.

I shuffled closer, having retrieved my potions book and glared over at the gaggle of girls by the window in a warning to mind their own damn business. Thankfully, none of them wanted to be sat on today by a grumpy, pregnant Weasley.

Sigh. I can only blame myself. And Scorpius, I kind of hold my fatness against him.

Sometimes literally. Ha!

"Rose," Sarah repeated. I looked over at her and grinned.

"Sorry, my mind was elsewhere," I shook my head with a smile. Sarah looked at me expectantly and I sat down next to her heavily and leaned in so nobody could possibly overhear me.

"We slept together again," I whispered excitedly.

Ever since it had happened I'd been ridiculously happy, despite the odd spells of psychosis. Sarah's eyes widened and she grinned at me, tucking her legs up onto the sofa and leaning into me so we could hiss like excited lady snakes to each other, hiss, hiss, hiss.

"Tell me everything!" She smiled. I thought back to that night.

"It was the day we went to my scan, we got home, had tea and then we were just chatting about my hormones and how they make me angry sometimes and for some reason I started blathering on about how sexually frustrated I am half the time," I said in one breath. Sarah nodded eagerly.

"Then he kind of, came towards me?" I offered, trying to make it sound less predatory. "And kissed me and then we were in bed all of a sudden and he was kissing me and then he stopped and said really quietly 'do you have anyone else'? and I told him no, and then _boom_!" I said animatedly.

Sarah let out a laugh, but it might be because of the male voice I was trying to pull off for Scorpius' speech.

"Anything else?" She asked knowingly. She definitely knows me too well – nobody should know when I'm holding things back. I leaned ever closer so I was basically whispering in her ear like a child.

"He looked down on me during and just said 'I love you' really quietly!" I admitted, feeling dizzily happy all over again. Sarah gaped at me, still grinning, and then let out a high little squeal and slapped me on the arm, quite hard.

"What did you say?!" She demanded. I tried to stifle my smile and ended up just looking coy.

"Well, I told him that I love him too, obviously," I said, rolling my eyes as if she should have known.

Sarah opened her mouth and cackled in glee.

* * *

><p><span>Scorpius<span>

"Why did I take History of Magic?" I wondered aloud to Albus, who was sat on my right side. James grinned from my left and rolled his eyes.

"Because you get to talk to us about Rose?" he offered. I shrugged in admission.

"There is that," I replied with a half-smile. Albus looked up from his book.

"Anything to declare?" He asked with a perceptive smile.

I rolled my eyes- there was no point trying to keep anything from the Potters. They get together and they pin you in one spot and then they get the information they know you have out of you.

Like the Spanish Inquisition, only in Quidditch gear.

"We had a thing," I shrugged, trying to shake it off as if it were nothing. It wasn't. James raised his eyebrows at me – usually he hears this sort of thing from Rose herself.

"Should I be worried she hasn't told you?" I asked half-seriously. Albus shook his head.

"Depends, what happened?" He asked.

"We slept together again," I confessed. "And she told me she loved me," I added in. Strangely, I had forgotten to mention that I said it first.

James and Albus looked at each other, half incredulous and half excited.

"That's great!" James offered, though I sensed his questions immediately.

"Are you two together now then?" He asked.

"I don't know."

"Are you going to find out?" Albus asked.

"I doubt whether Rose knows…" I said honestly. She has about as much of a clue what's going on as me right now. Actually, ever since the start of this year we've been as clueless as each other.

"Well, we've got the wedding on Saturday; _love will be in the air_!" James grinned from ear to ear.

Thankfully I can rely on him not to meddle in my love life.

…Who am I kidding?

* * *

><p><span>James<span>

"Should I be worried that Ro didn't tell me herself?" I asked Sarah that evening as we lay in bed together. My dorm was empty as we had rushed our meals to sneak in some time together. Everyone else would still be downstairs and for now it was just the two of us, completely alone. Sarah sighed happily and looked up at me, her head on my chest.

"Don't worry about it, James, just be happy for them, it's finally working out. Now kiss me again," she said, raising an eyebrow and rolling over on her side, reaching for me. I did as she commanded and kissed her, knowing that I would never take her for granted again, never let her go.

I flipped her over and showered exaggerated kisses on her face and neck, making up a language which sounded pseudo-Italian while she giggled and half-heartedly pushed me away.

"Oh my god, James, we've told you not to have Amy up here-" I practically flew off Sarah and we pulled the duvet's up to our necks, Sarah's cheeks pink and her neck red from my kisses. It was Steve, Danny's best mate.

Oh _fuck._

There was silence for a long, horrible moment while my heartbeat echoed in my ears. It sounded like a dog woofing. Maybe I'm beginning to mutate – OH WHY DOES MY BRAIN GO BANANAS WHEN I PANIC?!

"Tell me I didn't just see that!" Steve stuttered from the doorway. Sarah and I looked at each other in horror.

"You didn't just see that!" We replied in panicked unison.

I could feel Sarah wriggling beside me furiously in the bed and when she hopped from under the covers in her bra and jeans I realised she had been getting decently dressed. She held her hands up to a bewildered and horror-struck Steve in surrender. He was so shocked that he only gave her breasts a cursory glance. THAT MEANS THE SITUATION IS VERY SERIOUS! I WAS BANKING ON AT LEAST TWO MINUTES OF TIME BOUGHT BY HER BOOBS!

"You're Danny's girlfriend…" Steve said accusingly to her. I got out of bed too, having pulled on my boxers and silenced my insane mind.

"I know," she replied simply, her hands still up in a 'calm down' motion. Steve sank down onto the nearest bed.

"He told me he loved you!" he said, just as accusingly. Sarah sighed and her hands fell to her sides.

"Then why is he cheating on me with Amy Harris?" she asked softly, the pain in her voice palpable. Steve's eyebrows rose in shock and I realised she had just found out he was just as much in the dark as she had been. I stepped forward just as heavy, fast footsteps flew up the stairs. Sarah and I had time to grasp hands and ready ourselves for the worst when Dom burst in, her hand covering her eyes.

"JAMES, SARE, IF YOU'RE IN HERE YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT MAKING A MOVE, DANNY'S JUST FINISHING HIS PUDDING AND-" She started loudly, her eyes squeezed shut.

"_Dom?"_ Steve said, his eyes fit to burst out of his head. She opened her eyes immediately and spun towards him, looking equally confused.

"You know about this?" Steve asked, appalled. Dom looked defiant.

"Danny's cheating on her, with James' girlfriend. I really think that this is the lesser of two evils," she said boldly, folding her arms.

"He is?" Steve asked seriously, apparently only believing it from Dom. He looked at all of us and we nodded.

"Look, you don't owe us anything, but this is my mess. We are going to sort it," Sarah said earnestly, squeezing my hand. I nodded.

"If you don't keep quiet for them, then do it for me," Dom asked, this time sounding not angry or bolshie, but gentle. A muscle worked in Steve's jaw and he stood up after a painfully long moment, taking in a deep breath, looking straight into Dom's pleading eyes.

"For you," he said finally, pointing at Dom, but looking unhappy with the situation. I breathed a sigh of relief and Sarah did too.

"Thank you, Steve," she said softly. Steve jerked his head.

"Just sort it out, whatever is going on," he said, waving a hand and looking completely confused.

Dom hugged him and Sarah and I took the opportunity to grab our clothes and get out of there, thankful for an ally, however unwilling.

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

"What should I wear on the train?" I asked Sarah, holding my bag full of clothes and makeup for the wedding. I was stood in my bra and pyjama bottoms, looking at the full length mirror, wishing that the stretch marks, swollen stomach and puffy ankles were faults with the mirror and not my body.

She was packing an overnight bag herself. She was going to be staying over at the Potters while Becky was staying at Dom's and Scorpius was going home to see his parents for the night. I had invited everyone to mine for the night but they had unanimously decided that I needed some time with my family, which, grateful as I was, I was dreading.

"Jeans and a t-shirt?" Sarah offered.

I shrugged and pulled on the nearest shirt I found on my bed, where I had laid out all the clothes that still fit me. The jeans I chose were black and snug and actually slimmed my arse down so that the elderly could walk behind me without fearing an eclipse of the sun.

"Take extra underwear," Sarah advised, packing what looked to be a full weeks worth of lacy knickers into her bag.

"You're only staying for the night…" I said, looking shocked.

"I like to be prepared. If your granddad sends us on another adventure I may need a week's worth of everything," she replied, dropping a small potion bottle into her toiletries bag.

"Recognise that, Ro?" Dom asked with a smirk, emerging from the bathroom with her straighteners in hand and pointing to Sarah's bottle.

"Contraception?" I asked dryly. Sarah nodded with a grin at Dom's joke. Dom popped her bubble gum, gave me a cross-eyed look and disappeared back into the bathroom, where Becky squealed, apparently being threatened with violence into giving Dom her expensive mascara to wear.

"You know you can do your makeup at the house?" I called after Dom, who mumbled something about there not being enough time. Thankfully, Teddy and Victoire were having their wedding, like Fleur and Bill, at The Burrow. The sheer amount of media coverage of the wedding ruled out any venue but private property. This had the double benefit of ensuring that no press would be harassing me or my family all night about my pregnancy.

"Are you ready, fatso?" James yelled up the stairs.

"I hope you aren't talking to me, James Potter!" I screeched back just as loudly, hitching my bag over my shoulder and waiting for Sarah to drop her plum dress in her bag.

"No, I'm talking to Dom!" I could _hear_ the eye-roll in his voice.

Dom spat her gum into the bathroom bin and grabbed her straighteners in one hand and Becky's hand in the other, dragging her out of the bathroom before she had time to put blush on the other half of her face.

"Excellent," Becky said sarcastically, pinching her one cheek to make it as pink as the other as we all wandered through the grounds to Hogsmeade, where we would be catching the specially-arranged train.

Since I was officially in my third trimester, apparating, floo-powder, broomstick riding and shifting to my fox form were all out of the question. However, to lessen the burden of walking, Scorpius had sweetly taken my small amount of luggage off me and carried it himself without a word.

We boarded the train without any difficulty, unless you count James attempting to give me a piggyback to our compartment. I've lived with him for so long that it had become the norm to have to beat him off with a blunt, heavy object.

Leaving the train to arrive on the station was a different matter though. Somebody must have alerted the media that we would be travelling home today as the station was crawling with camera-men, live television presenters and newspaper reporters hoping to get a glimpse of us. Albus and Hugo sank down in their seats, naturally the shyest of us all. Sarah smoothed her anxious expression to a cool, apathetic one and I tried to look as terrifying as possible, while James patted a nervous Lily on the knee. Becky looked as bewildered as ever when the press crowded her as we left the train.

Scorpius grabbed my luggage in one hand and my hand in the other and we thrust ourselves into the chaos of the station, keeping our eyes on our parents, who were surrounded by a band of Aurors keeping the crowds at bay with unhidden wands. Sarah grabbed my other hand firmly and led me through the now shouting crowd. She, James and Dom had drawn their wands and we adopted the usual formation for crowds. Sarah and Scorpius were each side of me, while Dom and Becky were on either side of Albus and Lily with James and Hugo leading the way. We all lowered our heads against the camera-flashes and Sarah pointed her wand threateningly at a cameraman who tried to get a close-up snap of my bump. Scorpius shot a stinging hex at another one who shoved a camera in his face and James snarled warningly at a reporter who pointed her floating microphone at Sarah. The band of Aurors opened to engulf us and our parents greeted us over the noise. Only Uncle Bill and Uncle Harry had come to welcome us and since both of them had asked granddad to 'alter' the interior of their cars, travelling wouldn't be an issue.

We battled our way out to the cars with a lot more ease and after a quick decision about who would travel in which car, we all managed to find a seat somewhere and sighed collectively in relief.

* * *

><p>"Girls, it's so lovely to see you!" Victoire said genuinely as we dumped our things on the kitchen table at the Burrow, grumbling unanimously about traffic. James had apparently taken on all of my pregnancy symptoms, as well as some I didn't even have yet, out of 'sympathy'. I had hit him twice to alleviate him of his burden of said 'sympathy.'<p>

Victoire seemed as calm and relaxed as I'd ever seen her. I didn't seem to be the only one who noticed this.

"Did dad drug you again? Because that potion really is just to help the unicorns to sleep…" Dom said, concerned.

"No?" Victoire said quizzically, patting her curlers to check they were in place and securing the knot in her dressing gown as she made herself a cup of tea. Dom shrugged and patted her sister on the back in her tomboyish greeting.

In the corner of the living room, nana and granddad were sat next to the wireless, nana intently listening for news about media coverage of the day and granddad snoring gently, head tipped back in the armchair. Mum arrived out of the hall and stepped forward, Fleur close behind, looking nervous. Mum patted her on the hand and directed her to a chair, where she sat, gazing up at her daughter with proud, but anxious eyes. Mum stepped forward again towards me and enveloped me into a hug, managing to give the bump a quick stroke before she turned and hugged Hugo too, who was looking as if he were itching to go upstairs and join Louis. Mum nodded at him and he practically ran towards the stairs, desperate to shake off the trauma of the press at the train station. James flopped himself into the nearest chair, pulling an alarmed Sarah down onto his lap, kissing her shoulder as she shrugged off her cardigan. Victoire, mum, and Fleur exchanged a curious look.

"Anything to declare you two?" A familiar voice said from the stairs. I flew around and saw my dad walking in next to Harry, who had disappeared as soon as he had parked the car, apparently to notify him that his wayward children had made it safely home. Dad came forward and hugged me in an awkward sideways way, apparently to avoid hurting the bump. He gave it a less awkward pat and dropped a kiss in my hair and moved in Scorpius' direction. To his credit, Scorpius didn't show any sign of fear as he held eye contact with my father and shook his hand.

"I GOT HER BACK, DIDN'T I TELL YOU I WOULD?!" James practically bellowed for all the house to hear. Sarah flew out of his lap, terrified by the sudden noise and dad and Harry laughed. Even granddad snorted himself awake like all old people do.

"Yes James, I got all seven of your letters," Ginny sighed, coming in from the living room and squeezing her son's shoulder. Albus seemed to have slinked away during the commotion, apparently unable to quell the curiosity as to what Hugo and Louis were doing. Sarah grinned at her mother-in-law, who gave her a wink before coming over to pat my belly.

Is it good luck or something? WHY IS EVERYONE TOUCHING ME?!

"Victoire, it's an evening wedding, right?" I asked to take the heat off me. My cousin nodded, curlers bouncing.

"We've leaked to the media that it will be this morning, so there's been a bit of a surge of activity in the area since about nine this morning." She chuckled and shook her head, sitting down opposite James and sipping her tea. The rest of us sat down, following her lead.

"What time are you going to be getting changed? I mean, you lads can just rock up, but ladies, you need a bit more time for makeup and things," mum said.

"Hey, we ushers are just as important as you bridesmaids!" James huffed, putting a supportive arm around Scorpius' shoulders. Dom and Lily rolled their eyes to each other and Ginny pushed a curl of hair behind her daughter's ear.

"Tell you what, all of you go up now so me and your nana can get on with some food?" She offered, obviously wanting to get the shedload of kids out of the way before the real guests arrived. We all jumped at the chance to be able to sit upstairs and not have to do anything instead of being enlisted to hang bunting or whatever.

"And bridesmaids, I want you to be ready at least an hour before me so you can do my hair for me!" Victoire called after me, Lily and Dom.

"I think your dad definitely drugged her…" Lily said quietly to us as we shot up the stairs. All of us remember the screaming matches Vic and Dom used to have over who had whose hairbrush/eyeliner/carving knife.

Let's just hope she stays this calm.

* * *

><p>"DOMINIQUE!" Victoire screamed at the absolute top of her lungs down the corridor. Dom growled some expletives and set down her curling tongs haphazardly on the bed. I quickly picked them up and sat them on the heat-proof mat.<p>

"WHAT IS IT NOW?!" Dom bellowed back, poking her head around the door.

Becky looked at us with a flat expression and shook her head. Sarah carried on plaiting my hair in a long braid down my back. She seemed to be winding little beads and shells in as she went along… you can always tell a girl in love. In turn, I was painting Lily's eyelids a soft gold to go with our dresses.

"How do you look in yours Rose? I think mine hangs beautifully…" Lily sighed with a smile. I nodded.

"It makes me look less like a bloated cow," I offered. Sarah flicked my back.

"I saw a pregnant woman the other day and she was twice the size of you, she was practically spherical!" Sarah scolded. I rolled my eyes and Dom left the room, her sister apparently not having the energy to shout across the hallway anymore, as she had been doing for the past three hours.

I could practically _hear_ nana tut downstairs at all the racket.

"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER YOU TAKE MY VEIL OFF THIS INSTANT!" Victoire howled, a hysterical note creeping into her voice. She sounded close to tears. I made a move ready to climb off the bed, huffing, but Lily patted my hand.

"I'll go," she said kindly, skipping off down the hall with her tiny little body.

"Has she always been that thin?" I asked Sarah, holding my stomach. Becky nodded.

"Cheer up, fatty," Sarah said, squeezing my shoulder. "You're young enough to have the baby and pop right back into shape," she added, securing my plait with a hairband and giving me a pat on the arm.

"Round_ is_ a shape," I countered. Becky laughed as Dom came back into the room.

"She wanted to pinch a tampon off me. She's not even due on for another two weeks, she's gone absolutely batshit," grumbled Dom, plonking herself down on the edge of the bed and picking up her curling tongs again and getting to work on her honey-blonde hair. Lily appeared, towing James behind her.

"Come and sit in here and behave, for god's sake James. You're going to give Victoire an aneurism!" Sarah reproached.

"I don't want to get Dom's burnt hair all over my suit," James said casually, ignoring Dom's glare as her hair gently smoked under the curling tongs.

In fairness, it was a really lovely suit, a cream colour with gold trim to match our bridesmaids dresses. With a comb run through his hair for once and clean-shaven, James looked like every girl's dream date.

It's a shame he's literally mental oriental, but Sarah doesn't seem too fussy.

"Where have you left Scorpius?" I asked as he began to juggle Dom's gold clutch handbag and one of her hugely high heels.

"He was doing his hair the last time I saw him. I used to think he just got out of bed looking that tousled but it turns out it's a delicate art form," James mused, dropping the handbag and spilling Dom's wand, lipstick and several tampons out. Dom huffed in exasperation and whacked James's arm.

"Go and get him. Do something useful. We're nearly done here then we're going in with Victoire so you two can go and straighten Teddy's tie or whatever ushers actually do," she huffed, putting in her earrings.

James rolled his eyes and began to stomp upstairs while I quickly turned off Dom's curlers and picked up her things.

"That's one thing I don't miss," I said, holding up Dom's tampons.

"Yeah, you're so lucky, being able to save up all your periods for nine months and then have a massive agonizing one where you hatch a human," Dom smirked.

I smiled too as we wound our way into Victoire's lair. I wasn't smiling because of Dom's comment or James' juggling or even Sarah and Lily racing each other down the hallway. I was smiling because I knew I would be in Scorpius' arms again come the end of the night, dancing without a care.

Just the thought of it made even Victoire's tantrums bearable.

* * *

><p>"Here are your bouquets girls, you all look wonderful," Fleur said to us before she went in to sit down as we lined up ready to go in. Victoire's two best friends from school were joint maid of honour while dad and Harry lined up beside them. James had his arm in Lily's and Scorpius held mine in his. Dom came behind, throwing small cream rose petals as the music swelled and Victoire, looking radiant, glided down the aisle followed by the rest of us. Teddy spun around as we neared him and I'd never seen anyone look so beamingly happy. Today his hair was sandy-red and his eyes were a beautiful blue. He looked the perfect match for Victoire.<p>

Tears ran down my face silently throughout the ceremony but thankfully Sarah had done my makeup so well that when I caught sight of my reflection in a mirror in front of the bride and groom I noticed that my face hadn't gone all splotchy and horrible and my eyes hadn't even puffed up. I looked almost entirely as I did when I went in except for the teardrops steadily streaming down my cheeks. I missed almost the whole ceremony trying not to make any noise, and when the bride and groom kissed I found I wasn't the only one crying – Lily was sniffing beside me, and mum and Ginny were dabbing at their own eyes in the front row. As we trailed after the bride and groom on the way out, Scorpius had his arm around my waist and a soft smile on his face.

He sat me down on our assigned table for the food and Sarah, Becky, James, Lily, Dom, Hugo, Albus and Louis joined us. Scorpius held my hand tightly all through the meal and smiled at me every so often. Sarah and James were being a full couple tonight, stealing little kisses and sweet glances seeing as no-one around would judge them or rat them out. It was then that I realised that me and Scorpius were doing the exactly the same thing. When he stood to go and get me a second bowl of ice-cream he squeezed my hand and grinned before kissing me on the cheek. Astoria raised her eyebrows in surprise and what looked like pleasure at me from across the room and nudged Draco, who had been sharing an intense conversation with my dad about Quidditch, by the animated hand-gestures and booming laughter.

It was then that I realised that my relationship with Scorpius was just as sweet and loving and romantic and James and Sarah's.

After that, I couldn't keep the smile off my face all night.

"You've got more energy for dancing than me, and you're _pregnant!_" Dom said over the music later that night as I dragged Scorpius up for a slower number. I shrugged and laughed as I looped my arms around Scorpius' neck and we swayed together, his beautiful eyes gazing into mine the whole time.

"I've been thinking," he said in my ear, looking down at me. I raised an eyebrow.

"When do you want to sort the house out? I've talked to mum and she wants us to have the house in London. You haven't been there yet, but it's smaller and airier and lighter and it's just down the road from Diagon Alley," Scorpius said, watching me very carefully for a response. It was like he was checking to see whether I had changed my mind.

"Sounds great. What do you mean she wants us to_ have_ it?" I asked. "I want to pay rent. I'm not a scrounger," I added flatly. Scorpius nodded.

"I've said to mum we'll pay her 400 galleons a month. She said that even for London that's far too expensive. She doesn't want us to pay her at all, but she knows what I'm like. She won't let us pay over 250 a month," Scorpius explained as we continued to sway, his arms strong and warm around me.

"Good, when do you want to… move in?" I asked tentatively. He seemed excited for us to be living together, but I wanted to make sure he wasn't doing this for the wrong reasons.

"I've already moved a lot of my stuff there. Dad has been taking a few things over from home. Mum told your mum about our plans and she's been moving some of your things in too," he said. I almost stopped swaying in shock. Mum and dad knew… and were ok with it? What fresh hell?

"Who else knows?" I asked quickly. This was a lot of information to take in over the course of a slow dance.

"That's it, unless they've told anyone or you have," he shrugged.

"I haven't," I admitted, wondering whether he would take it as a sign that I wasn't as keen as he thought. A worried look did cross his face.

"If you don't want to live together we could always just be neighbours or something," he said. His eyes darted between mine, looking for any sign of doubt. I could feel him tense up just like the night we'd spent together when he really wanted to know the answer to his question.

"Seems like more trouble than it's worth. All our stuff is already there… we may as well just go for it," I said, trying not to sound too excited or too unenthused. Scorpius relaxed slightly, but his arms had stiffened around me.

"It doesn't have to mean any more than that if that's what you want," he added. I looked at him and as usual I couldn't tell whether he was bluffing or not.

"What do you want it to mean?" I asked bluntly.

"Whatever you want it to,"

"Scorpius, what do _you _want?" I asked, frustrated.

"I think you know," he said, raising an eyebrow at me and looking hurt at the same time.

The overall effect was a sad golden retriever.

The song changed to something a little more upbeat and Sarah and James whizzed past us at the speed of light. We kept to our own pace, locked in a world of our own.

"I think I do, but say it just in case…" I said, feeling worried. How do we keep getting our wires crossed like this?!

He stroked the hair out of my eyes and held my cheek in his hand, thumbing under my eye sweetly. He kissed me slowly and tenderly and drew me as close as my bump would allow. His hands held me tightly and securely, and at the same time they freed me from my worries about the opinions of other people. I was totally relaxed as we sat down together, hand in hand and watched Sarah and James fly about the place, Sarah's hair fanning out behind her like a silk sheet and James's smile fit to burst right off his face.

"_That's_ what I want," Scorpius said quietly, smiling at the happy couple. I had made up my mind years before that it was exactly what I wanted too.


	41. Chapter 40: Comeuppance

**Chapter 40: Comeuppance**

James grabbed a red cloth off the nearest table and whipped it from under the champagne glasses and candles so fast that they barely stirred. Sarah, in heels that Albus had enchanted, left trails of fire wherever she stepped. The tango struck up from the band, who obviously knew a dance-off when they saw one and Teddy and Victoire stepped up as well, Victoire's dress glistening with pearls and semi-precious stones sewn into the skirt. Sarah, her satiny red dress shining deeply, conjured a pair of castanets in a whirl of smoke, while Teddy pulled out his white pocket-square handkerchief and let it drift to the floor. James, who had somewhere acquired a Zorro-style mask and a cape, approached Sarah, a red rose positioned between his teeth. Victoire had specifically asked for there to be a dance off at her wedding with any couple willing to take them on. The girl's a nutter, what can I say?

The music thrummed.

Scorpius and I didn't see who won the dance-off, or where James got that much glitter from, as the distraction was perfectly timed for Scorpius and I to slip into the dark night, and away from prying ears. As we approached the gate at the end of the driveway, Scorpius suddenly turned to me and took both my hands. His pale hair shone in the moonlight, lighting up his defined cheekbones, sea-blue eyes and chiselled jawline.

I know now why I never allowed myself to think this way about him when we were younger… I would never have been brave enough to make the first move if I admitted to myself how attracted to him I was, and it would have ruined us for good.

"Rose, I have been mad about you ever since I saw you at the train station when we were eleven. My father whispered to me that I was the daughter of the brightest witch in the wizarding world. He said that I would be in Slytherin, and you in Gryffindor and we should _try _not to hate each other from the word go, that if we teamed up we would pass all of our exams with flying colours," Scorpius explained, looking into my eyes confidently.

It was a rehearsed speech, a script which I hadn't been given a copy of… I didn't know what my line was supposed to be, so I took mum's advice and remembered that sometimes you can find more answers by listening rather than talking.

"How could I ever have hated you? Surrounded by your family, punching James' arm whenever he pulled a face at you, your curly hair all over the place," he went on, twirling a strand of said hair around his finger. I was smiling, I couldn't help it.

"I wanted nothing more than to be your friend. When it finally happened and we were inseparable, I knew I had fallen for you."

My heart stopped. It was that long ago? We were in third year when we got that close!

"You'd just befriended Sarah, who sniffed out pretty much immediately that I was mad for you," he laughed. "The two of you became so close -as close as the two of us- that I wondered whether you would need me around anymore," he added, shrugging slightly.

I struggled to fight back words – he was obviously spilling his heart to me and this is one conversation I refuse to ruin with my big fat mouth. I settled for squeezing his hand and shaking my head vehemently.

"I told Sarah how I felt one day, when she was with Albus and me in the library. She gave me advice on how to ask you out. I had just plucked up the courage when Freddie beat me to the punch. Said he'd fancied you ever since you almost knocked him off his broom in a Quidditch match."

I nodded, remembering it well. Scorpius was quiet for weeks after Freddie and I began dating. I sighed.

"If I had known…" I started quietly, not really knowing what to say. He shook his head and drew a thumb over my hand in his.

"I just want you to know that the night of James' party was the happiest night of my life. Despite everything," he added. "It all went a bit downhill from there, didn't it?" he added, grimacing at the memory of Freddie and I reconciling. I looked down, too ashamed at myself to meet his gaze… to look at the boy I watched become a man, and shunned at every step. I could cry hot tears of shame if I didn't think it would make him feel absurdly guilty.

"I've hurt you so much," I mumbled, my cheeks red with the shame and the guilt and self-loathing. I was only thankful he couldn't see the colour I had turned. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Selfishly I wanted to run away from his honestly, I wanted not to see the pain and love in his eyes, and to not hear the hurt in his voice, underneath his sweet happiness.

"You have made me _so_ happy too," he countered, tipping my chin up so I looked at him.

I realised that he was trying to grant me absolution, freedom from my bad choices, stupid decisions and reckless actions. I don't deserve his forgiveness. He seemed to sense my doubt.

"Look, I know you don't believe it now, but this baby…our baby… might well be the best thing that's happened to us. It has even touched everyone around us… It's made you stronger and me actually speak my mind and face up to how I feel. How I feel about you, Rose." He took a deep breath and smiled at me, genuinely smiled his heart out.

"I love you. I'm in love with you. I always have been. That's what I'm trying to say," he laughed and looked down at me, grinning so widely that it was contagious.

I finally felt the release of his pain, and mine with it. The first release was our night together at the cottage, when we said how we felt, but this one was so cathartic, so euphoric, that I forgot my aching ankles and my sore boobs and my disturbing sobriety for a wedding.

"Are you going to kiss me then or what?!"

He barked a brilliant, heartfelt laugh, picked me up with surprising ease, and kissed me.

* * *

><p>"Here's Teddy and Victoire's first dance, that's Rose in the background with pumpkin juice spilled down her front, and this one is mum and Aunt Hermione pouring their own cocktails…" Lily continued at the breakfast table that Monday morning. Scorpius was next to me, almost as close as physically possible, with Sarah on my left next to Danny and opposite James and Amy.<p>

Dom nodded politely, having seen all the photos several times over. I had as well, but Scorpius' arm around me seemed to give me astounding patience. It was sweet to see Lily so cheerful, she really was a family person, delighting in all of us being together and being happy.

"I love this one, Scorpius and Rose dancing with the bump!" Lily squealed, showing the picture gleefully to the table and dropping half the photos underneath it at the same time. Dom scooped a couple up and handed them back to her and Amy picked up a few too and before handing them over, glanced at the top photo.

_The top photo_, which happened to be a black and white photo of James and Sarah, locked in a passionate dance, their lips meeting and then parting as Sarah laughed genuinely.

Amy's eyes flew up to meet Sarah's and she dropped the photo in shock. The rest of us had just enough time to look at the damning photo before Amy got to her feet with a clatter, her expression horrified. Danny looked at his lover's expression and glanced down at the table. His hands slowly curled into fists of rage.

"Outside. Now," Danny literally snarled at James, who stood up readily and strode from the hall coolly. The rest of us glanced up at the Professors table to see if they had noticed the slight ruckus. Satisfied that they hadn't, we followed hurriedly, Albus jogging to keep up with his brother, Sarah close behind him.

"James, don't, it's not worth it!" I found myself saying as we crossed through the entrance hall and made our way into the pleasant sunshine outside. It was pointless – Danny had hurt Sarah, Danny had distracted Sarah from _James_, and both of those were killing offences in James' book.

"What the hell _is_ this?" Amy screeched, always a little slow on the uptake.

The door swung shut behind her as she was the last out. Danny threw a badly judged punch at James, which missed and Dom stepped up quietly behind him and gave him a good thump in the kidneys. Danny let out an 'oof' and fell to his knees, winded.

"We aren't doing this again, James," Dom said flatly. Over Danny's head, James nodded jerkily in reluctant assent.

Amy, who apparently hadn't got the memo about the no-fighting rule, caught up to Sarah and grabbed the back of her head by her long hair. Sarah spun into her and elbowed her in the chest until she let go.

"Don't pretend to take the moral fucking highground with me!" Sarah growled. "I know about you and Danny!" She added, her features sharply drawn up felinely. I knew she was seriously struggling not to become a fox, due to the raging emotions and anger floating around. Danny looked up at Sarah from the floor, looking desperate and wounded.

"It's over, Sarah it's over… I swear to you…" he said, looking even more pleading from his place on the floor. I almost felt sorry for him, then I remember the tears I had heard Sarah cry into her pillow recently, and my heart hardened towards him again.

"It doesn't matter Danny, you still did it!" Sarah screeched down at him, looking seriously close to tears. I stepped forward to comfort her but Amy was already moving towards Sarah again, looking furious. Amy threw a punch which grazed Sarah's cheekbone. Thankfully she ducked just in time.

People were starting to file out through the entrance hall doors. It seems everyone can smell a fight coming.

Sarah straightened up as Becky held back a fuming Dom from joining in the fight. Despite her own rule, she seemed to have no trouble fighting a hundred people to protect her girls.

"This is her fight. Let her get it out of her system," Becky said wisely. Even James and Danny had stopped growling vague threats and insults to each other and were watching Amy circling Sarah.

Sarah's arm was tight against her side and before Amy could move to defend herself it snapped out, her fist connecting with a satisfying thud to Amy's face.

Sarah shook out her hand while Amy whimpered on the floor, in total shock that Sarah would fight back.

"God, I've wanted to do that for so long," Sarah said shakily, turning to me as the crowd erupted into camera flashes, applause and laughter.

* * *

><p>"Professors are on their way!" Someone called in warning from the back of the crowd. Amy straightened up and heard a cackling from somewhere in the crowd. Furious, she stalked towards the sound and found Chelsea laughing nastily at the scene. Suddenly, Amy drew her hand back and gave Chelsea the slap of her life. It certainly wiped the grin off her face, and as she held her reddening cheek in shock and fury, Amy slapped her again.<p>

"This is a-all your fault!" Amy wept hysterically, tears cascading down her cheeks. "It was your idea to screw over the Addams girl, your idea to - get the - truth out of Freddie Bishop, and you are never the one who s-suffers for it! I thought you were my _f-friend!_" Amy screamed unevenly as the tears continued to flow. Before Chelsea could say a word, Amy turned on her heel and ran off in the direction of the dungeons.

"Sarah, common room, go!" I instructed desperately. She did as I said, turning and running, closely followed by James and then Danny. Scorpius took my hand.

"Come on, we'll all go to the library and wait for this to blow over," he said soothingly, knowing that all the drama was about to make my head explode. Albus nodded and the two of them led me off as I began to hyperventilate. As we opened the door and almost bumped into Professor Hart, I could hear Dom yelling at the top of her lungs for everyone to clear off.

* * *

><p><span>Sarah<span>

James barrelled into the common mere seconds after I had and kissed the top of my head, taking my hands in his and making me look him in the eye.

"He is on his way up. I'm going to be right over there - if you need me, call me," he said, pointing over to the corner by the fire. He kissed me again, cupped my cheek in his warm hand and went and settled himself in the corner of the common room with a paper just as Danny flew through the portrait hole.

_James understands me so well,_ I thought numbly as Danny approached the small desk I was sat by. The common room was pretty busy, and I was sure my conversation wouldn't be overhead. Not that it matters anymore. It's all out now.

"Let me explain," Danny said pleadingly, looking down at me and trying to catch his breath.

"Sit down," I said dully, watching him with no expression.

He took my hand and out of the corner of my eye I saw James put his paper down quietly on his lap and begin to watch us.

"I'm so sorry I did this to you...to us." Danny said, stroking my hand and looking down. I didn't react to his touch on the outside although on the inside I was bursting into tears.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, too dully to be accusing. My face was as unreadable and expressionless as I could get it as he looked at me.

"We'd had a really bad argument; the night I told you James still loved you and you yelled at me. You brought up Amy and I said she didn't love him, but that I thought you did. You told me to go to her if I felt so sorry for her. I stormed out, and sat in the hall, and she was there too. She was just... there at the wrong time. And so was I. It was a complete mistake," he explained. James was really staring at us now, arms folded, watching our intertwined hands. I closed my eyes and lowered my head.

"Amy and I live near each other at home. We used to be friends before Hogwarts… then she went off to school and the year after I arrived for my first year and she had made all new friends. You could say we had been childhood sweethearts," Danny explained softly. "She was my first girlfriend. We used to do everything together," he added quietly, his brown eyes darting to look between mine.

James couldn't hear this conversation but he must have seen my micro-expression of pain and he began to get to his feet, the crumpled newspaper dropping to the floor. I held a hand up to him without looking, and Danny didn't look either, knowing it would be enough to send James careening into him with a right hook. I knew James wanted nothing more than to comfort me, but there would be plenty of time for that. For now, I need answers.

"That would explain how you got together. But it doesn't explain why you continued it," I said still as monotonously as before.

"I kept doing it because I wanted to hurt James for loving you. I wanted to hurt you for loving him back though, no matter how well you hid it from everyone else, I know you've never stopped loving him," he said with a lot of pauses as if thinking carefully.

"So whatever you think, no matter how much you think I'm the bad guy, just remember; I broke your heart. But you broke mine first. You used me," he added accusingly.

I hadn't been angry before, but now I was furious.

"That's really smooth, trying to turn the whole thing around on me! I was trying to get over him, I'd liked you for _so_ long before we got together and then I never once mentioned the fact that maybe I wasn't over him. I didn't even want to acknowledge it myself! I didn't go back to James until I found out what you'd been doing behind my back," I said quietly, keeping my voice even and bottling the anger as much as I could. Danny looked shocked.

"But I thought you were just using me to get to him...?" He asked slowly, clutching at my hand like a lifeline.

"You thought wrong." I said finally.

"It doesn't matter. You still entered into a relationship with me knowing you loved him." He said doggedly after a moment of horrified facial expressions.

"Don't you understand?!" I asked. "I had spent _years_ loving James, it was second nature! I had woken up loving him and gone to bed loving him every day for _years_! I was in such a state when we finished that I couldn't tell the difference between everyday life and loving him anymore! I told myself enough times that I didn't love him any more and I started to believe it!" I said exasperatedly. Danny looked at me in horror. I could feel James looking at me with a surprised half-smile.

"So you really liked me...?" He asked as if not daring to believe it.

"I bloody _loved_ you! I was finally starting to believe I was over him with you, I was ready to give up on him for you!" I said in frustration. Danny dropped his head into his free hand and gasped.

"Oh no, oh god no…?" He said softly over and over again.

"Do you love her?" I asked suddenly, before I could wonder whether I should ask it or not. Danny looked up at me, his face red and put both his warm hands over my stationary ones.

"No... I just wanted to hurt James!" He said, looking into my eyes so pleadingly that I wondered whether to believe him or not.

"Do you love me?" I asked before a little voice in my head screamed 'no!'

"No!" I said a little louder than necessary. "I don't want to know!" I added. Danny looked at me.

"Yes you do or you wouldn't have asked. I do love you. I'm so sorry I hurt you and if I could only turn back time, I would change everything that happened. I just want you back… but I know that's not going to happen." He said. His eyes were sad and brown and beautiful… but they were lying eyes.

I thought about saying 'too bloody right' but instead I just moved my hand and touched his cheek with my fingers. His eyes fluttered closed at my slight touch and I got up and left the room, trying to hide my teary eyes.

* * *

><p><span>Lily<span>

"Lily," Rose said to me once she had been sat in the library by Scorpius and calmed down by Albus. I looked up immediately.

She slowly explained her plan and gave me the most ingenious idea I had ever been given, and Dom grinned at me as we walked to our destination.

"She's so pissed off that she can't do this herself," Becky said sympathetically, referring to

Rose.

"Well, she can hardly expect to be running around in her condition, she's practically carrying a litter," Dom replied in her usual way.

"There she is! I hissed, spotting our target up ahead.

"Shh!"

"This thing is really hard to run under!" Becky hissed.

"It's just lucky Albus had nicked it off James," I replied as we ran, huddled together. Up ahead we saw the swirl of green and silver as Chelsea disappeared into the owlery up ahead.

"Come on!" We hissed to Becky, who was struggling with the exercise, unlike Dom and me who were regularly put through our paces with James for Quidditch. We ripped the invisibility cloak off our heads and Dom stuffed it into her bag as we hitched our robes up and ran up the stairs three at a time. We burst into the room just as Chelsea was attaching her letter to a magnificent eagle owl.

"I don't fucking think so!" Dom snarled, ripping the letter out of her hands.

"Let me guess," Becky said, grabbing the letter and ripping it open.

"Aha! _Dear Daddy, I have tomorrow's story for you, it regards Golden Boy James Potter and his so-called model girlfriend Sarah Addams. The two have been having a sordid affair behind the backs of their totally innocent partners… please find these photos attached which you can doctor to suit the story. Lots of love, your Chelsea-Bun_," Becky read in a scathing voice, taking the letter and tearing it in tiny pieces before throwing them to drift out of the window.

"You bitch!" Dom growled as she grabbed Chelsea by the front of her robes and began to lean her over the ledge of the window. Chelsea screamed girlishly and began to sob.

"I won't write another, I'll leave you alone, just let me go!" She cried, fear in her voice. Dom dug her nails into Chelsea's skin.

"Too fucking right you will! Remember this _exact feeling_, and remember that next time we won't let you go," Dom growled, releasing Chelsea, who gasped and massaged her throat as she threw herself on the dropping-covered floor.

I carefully took out the letter Rose had scrawled to replace the original and I passed it down to Chelsea, as well as a quill.

"Now just your signature. And make it convincing," I said dryly as I watched her shakily sign the letter. There were photos attached to this one as well, except they were picked by us from the wedding, Sarah and James embracing bear-like, the two of them doing their famous tango, kissing and laughing. Rose had written the letter to Graham Oxford as if she was his daughter, making out that she was happy for the couple and wanted the news published to celebrate their relationship.

Anyone who said she wasn't like Aunt Hermione was a liar.

"We'll be watching the post. If you try to send a follow up letter, we'll know," Becky said, towering over Chelsea as she attached the letter and photos to the eagle owl and released it.

"And if you try to contact him in any other way, just remember what we can do to you," Dom said with a huge grin, allowing her teeth to grow fox-like into sharp points.

We laughed as we ran from the owlery to the sound of Chelsea's screams.

* * *

><p><span>Sarah<span>

I threw myself on my bed and sobbed silently. I didn't hear James come in, but he lay down behind me and touched my waist over my shirt.

"I'm so sorry, love," he said quietly stroking my waist. I tried to make as little noise as possible – I hated crying, let alone in front of people. Even James.

He waited patiently and held me while I silently howled in heartbreak. Finally I rolled over to face him, my tears dry and we lay like that together for hours, the room darkening around us and the sound of James's breathing, feel of his steady heartbeat and his warm, soft masculine smell filling my nostrils. He held me as if afraid to let me go, and I realised finally that Danny was never going to fill the space that James left. Nobody ever could.

I touched his cheek finally and he kissed me all over my blotchy face until I finally let out a giggle. He smiled at me and my heart soared. I hadn't lost anything that I wouldn't have lost anyway, but I had gained something that should never have been let go.

We lay like that for another hour, talking softly and we must have fallen asleep, for when we awoke, there was a tapping at the window. I got up and crossed the room, James smile following me. I let the owl hop in and I distracted it with a treat while I detached the newspaper with a note on the front scrawled in Rose's usually-neat hand:

'_We always get the last laugh!'_

I held up the note to James, who had come to stand behind me and unrolled the evening edition of the Daily Owl. My heart filled with dread until I read the front page.

"_**RADIANT ROSE SHINES AT WEDDING, WHILE SPELLBINDING SARAH WINS BACK CLASS CLOWN! Special Cut-Out and Keep 12-Page Photo Section!"**_

"Class clown?!" James said from behind me, sounding shocked. "I've never been so flattered in all my life!" He added with his cheeky grin.

We flipped to the 'cut out and keep' section and found, not for the first time in our lives, our own faces grinning back at us. There were two pictures of James and I when we were younger, grinning at each other, one of my modelling pictures, one of James zipping about on a broom and countless romantic shots of the two of us twirling together at the wedding. We flipped the page and found Rose beaming out at us from the next page, while a brooding Scorpius broke into a huge grin. The two of them dancing with their bump was centrefold and countless other photos of the two of them laughing and hugging followed. A huge photo of the two of them kissing at the wedding took up a further page.

"Isn't this Chelsea's dad's paper?" James asked quizzically. I held up the note Rose had attached in reply.

"Seems that Rose got there before she could," I said, a smile starting to light up my face.

James and I looked at each and burst into a euphoric laugh.

"_Rose!" _We cackled to each other as we hugged.


	42. Chapter 41: Exams & Endings

**Chapter 41: Exams and Endings**

I began to scrawl on my page rapidly. My hand couldn't keep up with my brain as I read the questions on the exam paper and struggled against simultaneous hand cramp and back ache. For May it was incredibly hot, and way up ahead at the front of the hall, I could see Sarah shrugging off her robe to reveal her grey jumper underneath. Whilst massaging my hand I looked around the hall again and spotted Scorpius watching me rubbing my back. He nodded at me in a concerned 'you ok?' way and I nodded back. When he returned back to his sheet I noticed Dom scratching her head in front of me.

Seeing as we are seated in alphabetical order for exams, all us Weasley's are all grouped together at the back of the hall (not a great idea, that) but thankfully James is separated slightly from us in the 'P' section of the hall. When he is sat near us in exams, he has a disastrous effect of managing to make me laugh at every single thing I have ever thought was funny.

I'm so grateful he didn't take Transfiguration, but I am really not looking forward to our Potions written paper, where he would most certainly have me in hysterics with some false ears that I could only see when he flicked his hair back, or a novelty t-shirt he wore under his robes.

I looked back down at my Transfiguration paper.

"_Explain, in your own words, three times when a Switching Spell would not work"_

My hand, after having some time to recover, began scrawling again rapidly and managed to keep up with the rest of my brain until the end of the exam. When we filed out grumbling and made our way to the hall, we were greeted by James, Albus and Becky, who were all actually studying for their exams. Albus and James were preparing for their History of Magic exam at half past two, and Becky was cramming for our Herbology exam tomorrow.

Scorpius sat down next to James and pulled out his History of Magic book and opened it at a dog-eared page, grabbing his accompanying notes while Sarah and I sat and enjoyed the time off until our third exam of the week – Herbology – bright and early at 9.30 in the morning.

For once, I was actually feeling well-rested, prepared for my exams… and happy.

* * *

><p>"God I feel awful," I complained to the gang as we stood outside the exam hall the next morning. James was reciting the properties of the Fanged Geranium aloud and Sarah was patting my lower back, while Scorpius had my schoolbag slung over his shoulder, my hand in his.<p>

"Did you all remember your gloves?" I added, panicked. They all held up their pairs with a collective sigh as I let out a breath of relief and we filed into the exam, being led to our separate plants by a long-haired and ancient examiner.

The exam passed surprisingly quickly, and we all walked out feeling confident and made our way down to the cabin, followed by Hugo and Lily, who had just come out of a potions mock exam and were feeling very gloomy.

"Mum sent me a letter the other day saying she was moving some more of your things into your new pad in London. The ink was all smudged, I think she must have been crying," Hugo offered to me tactlessly as we slumped into beanbags. Scorpius took my hand gently and smiled at me.

"You won't even know she's gone. I'm sure she'll be home every night to have her dinner," he replied, making even Hugo chuckle.

We have a generally good relationship, Hugo and I. We spend time together playing around with brooms, make up games for de-gnoming the garden and team up to play pranks on anyone and everyone. But we've never told each other how we feel about each other… I mean, point me towards some siblings who have. We just assume we'll be living together forever and it will only take a second to barge unceremoniously into the other's room and demand help getting rid of a poltergeist/spider/James. He is not taking it well that I am not going to be there all the time for that… and neither am I.

I'm going to really miss my little brother.

Scorpius' tight hand in mine comforted me and stopped the tears from coming, and Sarah sensed my pain too and patted me on my gigantic thigh. Even James shot me a 'hang in there' look.

"You make it sound like we're actually growing up and moving out," Scorpius said with a laugh. "In reality, you guys are going to be round literally all the time. It's a pretty big place, despite what my parents said," he added, grinning at Hugo, who managed a genuinely relieved smile back at him. Scorpius was deceptively intuitive and genuinely amazing at knowing exactly the right thing to say to someone in pain. I mean, except for me… but _I_ don't even know what has upset me half the time, so I can hardly expect him to.

"I expect you'll need help moving," Hugo replied causally.

"Oh yes, there's quite a few heavy things that need help manoeuvring in," I said quickly and everyone else nodded.

"And I'm sure you'll need Hugo's help setting up the fireplace to receive Floo visitors," Sarah mused.

"We should know how to do it, but let's face it; we're pretty useless at things like that…" James added thoughtfully. I nodded fervently and Lily smiled nudging my brother.

"Looks like you're not losing her after all… seems almost like you're going to be seeing much more of her!" She laughed. Hugo smiled a lot more widely and his cheeks reddened slightly.

"I don't think I'm going to be the only one helping out, do you?" He grinned. I looked at him quizzically. He pointed at everyone in the room.

"Babysitter, babysitter," he pointed to Becky and Lily, "babysitter, babysitter, babysitter," he pointed to Albus, Dom and Sarah, "and party organiser," he pointed at James, to laughter from the room.

"He's not wrong," James shrugged as we all continued to grin in the knowledge that the exams were nearly over, things were actually starting to fall into place, and we had a huge array of exciting things coming for us in the summer.

* * *

><p>"When are you due?" The lady opposite me asked, massaging her own large belly.<p>

"June 21st, only about a month to go…" I said, allowing myself to sound as scared as I actually felt. The woman nodded.

"Is it your first?" She asked with a kind smile, which I returned. She knew who I was…everyone did, but I appreciated the politeness of asking me about my life like she hadn't read all about it in sixteen separate magazines and newspapers. Glancing to the pile of magazines on the white coffee table in the centre of the room, I could even see my own face on the covers.

"Yes," I replied finally, "what about you?"

"My fourth," she said, beaming. "You are tiny aren't you?! How far along are you, five months?" she asked, pretty eyes wide. I choked a laugh.

"Are you serious? I'm massive!" I replied. She shook her head.

"No, you've got a very neat little bump, I mean, look at mine!" She said. I did – she was very big around the stomach.

"And I'm only six months gone!" She added, rolling her eyes, still smiling in that disarmingly nice way. I realised that maybe Sarah was right and I was exaggerating my size. I mean, I have seen a lot of pregnant women a _lot _bigger than me…

"Does it hurt a lot?" I blurted out, immediately regretting it. Thankfully the hospital waiting room was empty save for us two, and I hadn't brought anyone along for my final scan.

"Yes," the woman replied honestly, flicking her honey-brown hair out of her eyes and continuing to rub her stomach. "But as soon as you hear the first cries, and they hand the baby to you, you forget all the pain and you wonder what all the fuss was about," she said dreamily, nodding assuringly. Strangely, this comforted me more than the midwife's words, or Sarah's or Scorpius'.

"Rose Weasley," the nurse called with a smile. I hauled myself to my feet.

"It was nice to meet you, good luck!" I said, smiling at the woman, whose eyes were wide as saucers. Could it be that she hadn't actually read any papers or magazines and didn't know I was pregnant? Had she been living at the bottom of a pond for half the year?!

"Baby seems healthy and happy, has he been bouncing around much?" The nurse said with a smile fifteen minutes later, prodding my stomach.

"He?" I asked, bewildered.

"Sorry, I don't know what to call them at this stage, and you don't know the sex!" She said, apparently not knowing the sex either.

"It's ok. I've just been imagining it as a girl," I shrugged, shocked that I hadn't thought much about it before. I suppose I have just been overly concerned with the birth, my exams, my family, the media, my friends, Scorpius and moving in the summer.

"Just a feeling, eh?" the nurse asked with a smile. I nodded.

"Well, she seems very healthy, we are all set for our original due date of the 21st of June… less than a month to go!" The nurse said happily, helping me off the examination bed. I pulled down my top and thanked her as I left, finally allowing myself to wonder whether I would be having a boy or a girl, and adding a mop of blonde curls to the imagined baby either way…

* * *

><p>I read the letter one last time, and again managed to miss the most important bits out. I passed the letter to Sarah, who scanned it and looked up.<p>

"Your parents want to meet with you at the pub tonight with Mr and Mrs Malfoy to discuss the birth with you and Scorpius," Sarah offered, passing me back the letter.

"What can there be to discuss?" James asked, sitting more upright in his armchair and throwing the golden snitch he had stolen in first year into the air, catching it deftly.

He's so like his grandfather and namesake… years ago we saw him in Uncle Harry's pensieve doing the very same thing.

"I imagine they want to prepare a bag for you full of the essentials you'll need- nappies, a blanket, anything you want with you for comfort in the delivery room, things like that," Sarah replied.

"I'll be there for comfort… what else do you want?" Scorpius said from next to me, grinning in his gorgeous sideways manner.

It was nice to see him no longer as the nervous boy from the past year, and finally as the cocky but loveable guy we all knew he was.

"You could take your toy duck?" Sarah offered, grinning at Scorpius before looking back to me.

"I don't think Flappy would like the hospital," I sighed. James rolled his eyes.

"Oh god, look what you've started again," he said, shaking his head at Sarah, who smiled again.

"I will have you lot there. And mum and Ginny and Astoria, and they've all had babies." I shrugged, looking to Scorpius, who nodded assuringly.

"Nana had like, a hundred. How hard can it be?" I asked.

* * *

><p>"Oh god, and the <em>screaming<em>… I thought she was being ripped limb from limb… it was horrendous!" Dad chuckled.

"We thought your aunt was being tortured, honestly," mum nodded grimly.

"But she went on to have Dom and Louis which goes to show that you forget the pain very quickly," dad added, noticing how tight my grip on Scorpius' hand was. I had asked Sarah to come with me as well, but she thought it should just be a family thing.

James had also said something along the lines of "SHE'S NOT YOUR WIFE, SHE'S MINE!" in a hysterical screech with added fake tears.

Needless to say, I had left her behind. I was actually glad in a weird way that I had left her, as Scorpius one hundred percent seemed to be in his element, holding my hand.

He was going to be a fantastic father… I'm actually allowed to think it now!

"The things the hospital can do now, darling, you wouldn't believe. You might not even feel a thing," Astoria said soothingly, topping up my glass of water from the jug on the table.

I sipped it and tried to calm down, not wanting to imagine the 'ripping.'

"On the day, your mum and dad will come to us, and we will either come to you and take you to the hospital or meet you there with our bag of the essentials; pyjamas, nappies, spare clothes, things like that," Astoria continued.

"You need four people to apparate you to the hospital… any less than that isn't safe," Draco spoke up for the first time.

"And seeing as you are due before the end of term, it's more likely that we'll meet you at the hospital, as you'll have so many people around you that the chances of you being apparated there straight away are high," Mum offered. I nodded.

"James has given us his solemn word-" she began.

"-and a lock of his own hair-" dad added in.

"-that he will be close to you whenever he can so he can raise the alarm straight away," Mum finished.

"I think he might have signed his name in his own blood…" Dad said, looking concerned.

"Oh no, he's been stealing jars of jam from the breakfast table to feed to the owls," Scorpius said quickly. I rolled my eyes and tried to smile, despite the now-constant fear of the ever-advancing birth.

I had a feeling that the delivery would not be as fun as the conception.

"That's the plan, then?" I asked, trying to get out of my own head. Everyone nodded. Even Scorpius. Why has everyone become a nodding dog?!

"So… we'll see you then, then?" I asked slowly, looking around at my family and future family.

"If not before," dad said, helping me to my feet and giving me a hug, passing me along to everyone for hugs. Touchingly, Draco, who had seemed the most distant, gave me a pat on the belly and smiled slightly, the grin actually reaching his tired and worried eyes.

"At least I've got the, what was it – ripping? - to look forward to!" I said false-brightly as Scorpius led me away and back up to the school.

* * *

><p>"Are you going to let me hold it? You know, when it claws its way out, dragging all your internal organs with it?" James asked sweetly as I sat down in the common room after dinner that night. Sarah batted him on the arm quite hard.<p>

"Why wouldn't I?" I replied, ignoring half the question as I have learnt to do whenever James speaks. He seemed to take this as an actual question.

"Five reasons: Using it as bait to catch myself a leopard, using the ceiling fan to cut its hair, permanent marker face re-decoration, teaching it all my choice swear words, and using it as the Quaffle in Quidditch matches at The Burrow," James listed without missing a beat. Dom, Hugo, Becky, Sarah and Lily all fell about laughing, and even Al, Scorpius and I tried to conceal our smiles.

"You aren't getting out of being Godfather, James," I said, waiting for the effect. James, as usual, did not disappoint. His face brightened immediately, his eyebrows disappearing into his hair as the grin spread across his face, handsome brown eyes glinting with surprise and joy.

"What?!" He cried, almost jumping out of his seat, his grin threatening to crack his face in two. Sarah laughed in the same joy and surprise and hugged him and Lily clapped her hands together, beaming.

"We always think it's nice when the godparents are actually a couple," Scorpius said casually, but grinning in anticipation.

"Wha- _me_?!" Sarah practically squealed, letting go of James and turning to us in unrestrained shock and glee.

"Yes, of course you!" I said, opening my arms for the hug that I could see coming a mile off. She swooped down and squeezed my shoulders, giggling slightly in my ear.

When she let me go, I furtively glanced around the room to see if anyone was put out by our choices. Thankfully, everyone looked almost as happy as James, who was dancing around in front of the fireplace with an equally ecstatic Lily.

"We talked about it on the way up to school. We decided on the two of you, seeing as you're practically my second parents," I said, taking Sarah's outstretched hand and squeezing it as she looked down at me, obviously touched. Even James clasped my hand after shaking Scorpius' and squeezed it fondly.

"Let's just get exams out of the way first, then let's get all lovey-dovey shall we?" I suggested, trying not to go hormone-mad and burn the place to the ground because of my conflicted emotions.

"Yeah, let's try to get through them without you getting amniotic fluid all over the exam papers," James offered.

"Well, I've got to have a dream!" I said dryly.

Scorpius laughed and held my hand again.

* * *

><p>"<em>Name five signs that identify the werewolf and discuss the dangers of attempting to approach one"<em>

Defence Against the Dark Arts written exam… only an hour and a half long, but when you have a jellybean baby bouncing on your bladder and only two allotted toilet breaks for me, it seems like a lifetime.

The practical examination this morning was much more fun. I found that diving behind tables while an examiner sent stunning spells over my head a lot harder when I was smuggling a watermelon down my shirt, but I managed to counter every single spell as well as prove my Riddikulus skills with a Boggart and shoot a fully fledged patronus for my finale.

The next week came quickly enough, and we were required to make an amortentia potion for our practical potions exam, on Wednesday Sarah and James had their Divination and Arithmancy exams respectively, and Scorpius, James, Dom and Al had their History of Magic exam on Thursday. I helped Albus revise his Muggle Studies notes, which I'm pretty sure he aced.

The end of term, and the end of school for us, came around right after. Our gang ate our final breakfast in peaceful chatter. It seemed strange that at the beginning of the year, James was still heartbroken over Sarah, who he was currently kissing in between conversation, Scorpius and I were still just friends and I still had my figure.

What a difference nine months makes.

Scorpius had his arm wrapped around me as often as humanly possible, Dom had her own hand rested on Steve's leg over the other side of the table, and Albus and Becky were shooting each other longing and sweet glances across the table. Danny and Amy sat over on the Slytherin table, apparently arguing while further down the table, a silent and lonely Chelsea tucked into a huge plate of pancakes, bacon, porridge and English muffins… she had piled on the pounds over the exam period almost as much as I had all year. Her blonde hair was growing out, showing brown and unkempt roots underneath.

I didn't feel sorry for her… not for her lost stick-thin figure, or her lack of friends, or her presumably failed exams.

She had tried to take everything from me… in my opinion she heartily deserved to fall just as far and hard as I have.

Even if I wouldn't let Dom throw her off the owlery tower.

* * *

><p>The evening rolled around quicker than I would like. Becky and Dom went for a swim in the lake with Scorpius, Al and James while Sarah and I watched from the bank, arms looped together.<p>

"It doesn't feel like seven years ago that we were all scared shitless wondering whether we'd get our acceptance letters," she sighed, looking over the lake, to where James was stood up, shirtless and tanned from frequent swims, his dark chest hair showing up next to Scorpius', whose hair was so blonde it seemed to catch the sunlight at every turn. I nodded, thinking about her statement but also about the men in front of us.

"We have been so blind, for so long…" I said finally with a sigh almost as deep as hers. She nodded from next to me.

"Can you imagine… If Scorpius had told you how he felt before Freddie did? He would have been your first…" Sarah said.

"Chelsea might have ruined it for us the same way she did with Freddie and I though," I countered.

"Imagine if James didn't play that stupid game with your feelings… would you have stayed together?" I added, giving her a sideways glance. Sarah looked thoughtful but grimaced.

"We spent time apart, and it was truly horrible, not being with him. I think we both needed it," she replied after a moment, stretching her legs out in front of her on the sandy bank.

We sat in comfortable silence, watching our friends swim out further and further, their laughter echoing back to us.

"It won't change anything you know… leaving school. If you want me, I will be there to help you out. And James will be chomping at the bit to get his godfathering skills up to scratch," she said, nudging me in the ribs before placing her hand on my belly and smiling, the sunset making her eyes light up even more.

If I have a daughter and she is half as beautiful as my best friend, and half as kind and smart, I will be truly blessed.

And if I have a son and he is only half as much trouble as James then I will definitely count myself lucky.

"I know it won't change anything. I mean, James has had that offer to go to that trial to play Quidditch for England… they train just up the road from Diagon Alley in the new stadium… and we're all only a floo ride away…" I said, trying to sound cheerful.

In reality, I was terrified that I would lose my friends because I had decided to become a mother ten years earlier than they all would.

Sarah, as always, appeared to read my mind.

"You won't be sidelined just because you'll have a baby. We are never, ever going to let that happen to you. We are a pack, not just for school, but for life," Sarah said, putting her arm around me and wiping the one tear I had not managed to hold back.

"But," she added firmly, "none of us want Scorpius to be sidelined either. We are going to be seeing less of each other… it's a fact, we won't all be living under the same roof anymore. But you and Scorpius can actually start a life together… and we'll never be too far away."

"I know. We are going to be properly together, I think it's going to be great it just being the two of us," I replied after thinking hard.

"But I also don't want to push you guys away. We are all so close and we need to stay that way," I said firmly. Sarah nodded.

"We will never be too far away to be there for you."

There was a lot of splashing as the guys made their way out of the lake.

"Promise?" I asked, realising tears were welling up again. Sarah laughed and held out her hand to help me up from the sandy bank.

"Fox's honour," she promised.

James conjured his towel and shook his hair out while Becky and Dom air dried their clothes and hair and Albus tugged his shirt over his head.

I smiled at Sarah and she went and took James' hand while he grinned all over his face.

"We'll leave you two to have one last wander around the grounds, the train's going to be here soon," Becky said to me and Scorpius.

"Don't hold the train up. If we're late we'll just wander into Hogsmeade and get a lift home with dad," I replied. Albus nodded and they made their way back up to the castle to where Lily and Hugo were waiting. Scorpius and I watched hand in hand as they disappeared off towards the sunset.

"I have some things left in the cabin to collect," I said to Scorpius, who seemed as sad as I did to be leaving.

"James seems to think you're worried you'll be left behind while everyone gets on with their lives," Scorpius said as we meandered down towards the cabin, past Hagrid's hut.

"Maybe a little…" I admitted, suddenly feeling stupid. He looked at me sideways and smiled.

"You worry too much," he said as we entered the cabin. He turned around and entered his room, humming under his breath, leaving me in the hallway alone.

He called something out to me from the other room, but I hardly noticed as I felt the warmth spread down my legs and onto the carpet under my long skirt.

I found I actually had a good reason to worry this time. My water had just broken.


	43. Chapter 42: Oops?

**Chapter 42: Oops?**

To his credit, Scorpius did not take long to notice my distress.

"Rose?! What's wrong?" Scorpius asked as I moaned, clutching my huge stomach.

He hurried over to me and took a look at my panic-stricken face. I sank into the nearest beanbag, forgetting the jacket I had been bending to pick up.

"The baby's coming," I breathed, looking into his eyes. He was leaning over me, so close that his hair was falling into my face and his minty breath made my eyes water.

"What can I do?" He asked, a definite note of panic to his voice now.

I checked my watch, realising that the train had just left. I thought hard.

"Scorpius…" I groaned, feeling another pang in my stomach. "Shift, go…fetch the guys…" I breathed croakily, trying to hold off the small twinges.

Scorpius, to his credit, didn't ask any questions or criticise my decision. He knew it was useless.

"I won't be long, I promise you Rosie," he said stepping over my coat towards me and pressing heartfelt kisses to my forehead and then my mouth.

"Go, please," I begged, pressing a hand to my stomach. Before the words were even out of my mouth, Scorpius was a magnificent russet wolf, huge and long-legged. He barked once and then sped from the room. He truly is the fastest of us for he was soon out of the gates of the grounds and speeding into the distance.

* * *

><p><span>Scorpius<span>

I ran over rocks and pebbles, even broken glass once I think as I sped through the streets of Hogsmeade, but I didn't stop to check. The girl I loved needed me and I couldn't stop for my insignificant injuries. I could see the train over the next hillock and I accelerated. I didn't see the bramble thicket until it was too late, for I was looking behind me at the time and I plunged straight into it, somehow having a millisecond to squeeze my eyes shut as the brambles pulled at my flesh. Eventually I managed to reverse out again, bramble thorns burying themselves into my fur and puncturing my skin but I didn't care. Every second counted and I was gaining speed on the train, running alongside it, panting and looking in each carriage for our gang. I thanked the stars I was born under that it had just left the station and hadn't built up much speed yet. Suddenly, when I was starting to tire and slow down, I spotted Becky's blonde hair in the window up ahead. It was thoughts of Rose that forced me to push on, ignoring the intensity of the pain in my front right paw, and the various stinging pains everywhere else.

I rushed on so I was level with the window and opened my jaws. I let out a plaintive howl that echoed around the surrounding valleys and Sarah turned her head from next to Becky. She spotted me and let out a cry. James, who was sat opposite her, stood up immediately and pulled the emergency stop lever down.

The train screeched to a halt, as did I, and Dom peered through the train looking for the door to get off it. I shook my head and Albus relayed my reaction to the others. Lily, who I hadn't noticed before, stood up and shouted that they would have to get out some other way.

Sarah pointed her wand at the window, her face set in determination and focus and it exploded. Suddenly I was joined by three large foxes, a huge dog, a lynx, the silver dappled doe that is Lily and the smaller-than average auburn hippogriff that is Hugo. We didn't have much time; the driver was already making his way down the train angrily.

"We'll let the adults know what's happening, Rose's in labour, right?" Lorcan Scamander called. Sarah barked once, nodding her sleek head and Lysander waved to James from next to his brother. He repaired the window just as the driver burst in and they both sat down innocently, picking up magazines.

We all jumped under the stationary train, me still panting loudly. We heard muffled words above and then footsteps; the driver was returning to the front. The train whistled and hissed and we scrambled out from under it. I merged back into my human form, crouched and aching all over. Sarah, James and Al were pacing frantically, Sarah growling at the time we were wasting.

"She's gone into labour, I think. I don't think she's very far along into it but obviously we have to get there as quick as we can without many people seeing us," I panted heavily before merging back.

I had seen blood all over my right hand but I didn't think about it as I scampered ahead of the others, thanking god I was speedier than Lily to lead the way even though she was bigger and lighter than me. We rushed through the side streets of Hogsmeade and dashed into the cabin as soon as we could. Rose had made it to the nearest bed (the one that was usually mine) and there were slight popping sounds as seven teens changed back into their human forms. Sarah grabbed Rose's discarded jacket and everyone rushed into random rooms to collect clothes, no matter whose they were. Most had discarded their robes and would need something comfortable to wear for the next however many hours…

"SCORPIUS!" I heard Rose yell. I rushed into my room, where Rose was perched on the side of the bed. Sarah and James hurried in beside me, Sarah bounded over to the bed where she helped lay Rose down on her back, Rose moaning slightly, biting her lip. I stood helpless, but thankfully Sarah had taken it upon herself to take change. So I stood over Rose and did what little I could. I held her hand.

* * *

><p><span>Sarah<span>

I lay Rose down, Scorpius holding her hand and looking petrified. James was standing behind me as I crawled up to Rosie's head and I heard someone, several someones, enter the room.

"She needs to get to the hospital!" I said quietly so as not to alarm Rose, looking towards the door where I saw Becky, Dom and Lily stood in front of the others in odd varieties of people's clothes. I was trying not to sound as frantic as I felt, but it was hard.

Scorpius was stroking the hair away from Rose's forehead and Becky stepped forward to remove her trainers. Dom took an elastic scrunchie from her own wrist and tied Rose's long, beautiful hair in a loose, high ponytail while the expectant mother lay on her side with her eyes closed, breathing shallowly. Scorpius was still holding her hand and looking down at her fearfully, but somehow still tenderly, when I turned to the others crammed in the doorway.

"Lily I need you to run up and send an owl to St. Mungo's and then one to Hermione and Ron and one to anyone else you think of who can help. Oh and one to Draco and Astoria!" I said assertively and Lily nodded solemnly and shifted before turning tail and running.

"Dom, Becky I need you to run up to the school and see if there are any professors about, although I doubt it; they're all getting pissed in Hogsmeade I expect," Scorpius added, finally getting over the initial shock and beginning to take charge.

"Take Hugo with you and split up to search quicker. If there's nothing then get a first aid kit with pain potions in from the Hospital wing. You might have to break in, but I know Hugo's good at charms. Hurry!" He said as an afterthought as they shifted back to animal forms and ran/ flew up to the castle.

Scorpius looked back to me for some more encouragement and I turned to Albus.

"Albus I need you to get me some warm towels and some fluffy water! Oh… you know what I mean!" I yelled and he found a washing up bowl and filled it with warm water from his wand and then hurried to the airing cupboard to find some clean towels. James chuckled and hugged me from behind.

"Calm down love, you're doing a grand job," He said kissing my neck softly. That's James, always calm in a crisis.

"Say, Scorpius mate, what've you done to your hand?" He added, straightening up and taking Scorpius' other hand. He jerked it out just as Rose opened her eyes, anxious.

"Scorpius?" She croaked.

"Nothing. It's nothing," Scorpius said soothingly to her, keeping his hand behind his back and stroking Rose's head again with the other. I opened my mouth but Scorpius looked into my eyes pleadingly and then looked down at Rosie again. I shut my mouth.

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

I can't help but wonder what the hell has happened to Scorpius' hand. I didn't see it but surely if he thought it was serious he wouldn't be stupid and hide it from us? But anyway, the last pain in my stomach I had was about half an hour ago so I think I'll be ok for a bit.

"Sar, I haven't had a contraction for about thirty five minutes. My midwife said not to really worry until they're ten minutes or less apart," I said as calmly as I could.

"Maybe it's a false alarm?" I added hopefully. Scorpius gave me a half-smile.

"Nice try," he said. Sarah and James looked at each other.

"We're just going to wait outside for news," Sarah said gently, patting my hand. I nodded and they left.

"Scor, I'm scared," I said immediately, turning to him. He looked down at me and kissed my forehead.

"You're going to be amazing. You always are," he said simply, stroking the sweaty hair back from my head. James re-entered the room tentatively. Well, as tentatively as he could manage, which actually meant tripping over things.

"Albus has the towels…" he said sheepishly.

"Come back in, guys," Scorpius said with a wave of his hand. Sarah came in after a minute and rejoined me.

Albus then appeared in the doorway, teetering under a huge pile of snowy white towels and levitating a large bowl of warm water in front of him. Sarah took it and looked incredulously at Al, as we all did.

"Mate, when she said towels I don't think she meant all the towels in Britain…" Scorpius said, watching as Albus carefully put the towels in a pile beside me.

"Well I didn't know what sizes you wanted, we've got absolutely _massive_ ones for Jay and-"

"It's not because I'm fat you know, it's because of my enormous-" James cut in, looking at Sarah as if she should be impressed.

"James!" Sarah said sharply. "Time and place?" She said, gesturing to me.

"And plus, you wish." She added, smiling mischievously and winking at him. Aha, I knew she hadn't lost her sense of humour just because silly ol' me was in labour…

James laughed and winked back. He's literally the un-offendable nowadays. Anyway, back to childbirth. God I can't wait until this is all over.

* * *

><p><span>Hermione<span>

"Hermione!" Ronald Weasley shouted through the house.

I turned towards my husband stood in the doorway.

"Just got an owl from Lily!" Ron said running into the room and brandishing the letter.

I looked at the letter apprehensively and threw down the baby clothes I was knitting the muggle way.

"What did she say? Is there something wrong with the train? Do they need us to pick them up?" I asked, relaxing somewhat.

"It just says Rose is going into labour and they'll meet us in St. Mungo's in about an hour and not to worry about picking anyone up from the station!" Ron said breathlessly, running a hand through his receding but thick hair.

Panic filled me. I've never been through anything like this before…

"Right Ok. Let's go." I said assertively, deciding that panic would have to wait. Ron set the letter on the nearest table and looked at me.

"She says not for another hour?" He said with a questioning look.

"I know, but we'll pick some people up on the way. Let's _go_, Ron!" I said.

Two minutes later I found myself in the dining room of Malfoy Manor, while Ron flooed to Harry and Ginny's cottage. Draco looked up from his coffee and copy of the_ Prophet _in shock. The Malfoy's, like the rest of us, had enchanted our homes so only a trusted few could apparate straight in. I had no idea we were one of the trusted few and for a moment I felt truly touched before I really was touched…by Draco's cool hand on my shoulder.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" He said, standing up.

"Draco, it's Rose!" I said hysterically. "Where's Astoria?" I added, realising I was sounding close to tears and hating it.

"What's wrong with Rose?" He said, stepping forward and taking my shoulders so I had to look slightly up into his eyes.

It dawned on me how much he truly did care about this situation. In fact, he looked in a lot better shape than he had the last time I had seen him. He had gained some weight around the middle again and his hair was the model of perfection.

Perhaps he had finally come to terms with the situation… or perhaps Astoria has finally made him see that our children are madly in love with each other.

"She's having the baby!"

"What?! She's not due for another week though?" He said, looking worried. I nodded, curls bouncing.

"I know! Where's Astoria?" I repeated. The only person who knows _exactly_ what I'm going through right now is her.

"She's at work, should we make our way to the hospital?"

"I can't! I have to go and get so many things, I have to find Lorcan and Lysander and find out what's going on and then-" I started hysterically.

He looked at me, worried. He had never seen me this frenzied, and he'd seen me give birth to Hugo in front of a pub full of customers.

"Shh. Let Ron do that, we'll meet Astoria there; I will send an owl from the hospital," he said, drawing me into a quick, awkward but well-meant hug. "Now, come on, take my hand," he said and I did what I was told. He spun on the spot and the pair of us landed in a deserted side-street. We came out and crossed the road towards the old shop window and the manikin, who let us in.

Oh God… I hope she's okay…

* * *

><p><span>Rose<span>

"We should apparate her," James said flatly as I struggled to sit up on my elbows. Sarah looked at him as if contemplating it. Scorpius had the same expression on his face.

"It's your decision, Rose," Scorpius said, turning back to me and gripping my hand.

"We can take you there now, Lily said our parents are all there, or we could get them to come and apparate you," he added.

"We won't be able to apparate directly into the hospital and I can't walk very far… Someone will have to go ahead and arrange a bed or a wheelchair or something," I replied with a sigh. I hate feeling weak.

"I'll go, give me five minutes to get everything sorted," Becky offered, shooting me a smile before leaving the cabin and running down to the school gates. We didn't even hear the pop that signalled her disapparating.

"There needs to be four of us. It's a bit like side-along apparition except we need to balance her weight evenly between us and concentrate _one hundred percent_," James said seriously to the room.

Everyone nodded, taking this in and I just sat there uselessly.

"Lily, do you and Hugo want to go on ahead and make sure everything is alright?" James added, making the job sound incredibly important and not like we were getting the shakiest members of our group out of the way to apparate. Lily nodded and took my alarmed-looking brother down to the gates.

"Come on, let's get you down to the gates," Sarah said, biting her lip and looking down at me. I managed to sit up on the side of the bed and James grabbed my upper half while Scorpius and Albus grabbed my legs. Together they lifted me with ease and Sarah directed us down through the remainder of the grounds to the boundary of the anti-apparation fields, her wand outstretched to support my midsection. James lifted me singlehandedly bridal-style with a grunt and Sarah, Scorpius, Albus and Dom all put one hand on me and one on James, as if we were a portkey.

"Everyone concentrate totally on the street outside St. Mungo's, alright?" Sarah said firmly, looking us all in the eye, one by one.

I squeezed my eyes shut and, as if moving as one, the guys spun around, taking me with them.

* * *

><p>"We practised with a first year," James said gleefully as I was carted into a wheelchair and whizzed through the hospital at speed, followed by Scorpius and Sarah. Dom waved from the drinks machine and Becky shrugged as if to say that I didn't need them crowding up the place, and shot her eyes towards Lily and Hugo, who were in the empty waiting-room for the maternity ward as well. I understood that she meant to keep anyone likely to stress me out more outside in the waiting room with her.<p>

Going on that logic, she may as well take dad, James and Scorpius with her as well.

I sighed as I was hauled onto a big white bed with crisp, clean and cool linen. The day was a humid one and my clothes were clinging to my skin by a fine layer of sweat. Mum held a cold hand to my head when she came in, dad following close behind. James, Scorpius, Draco and Astoria were out in the waiting room as well apparently, for I was alone with my parents.

Weirdly, I just wanted to be by myself for a while and live off my own reserves of strength in the calm before the storm. Dad gruffly mumbled something, sensing my lack of comfort, and left. Mum sat down next to me and looked at me with her lovely honey-brown eyes.

"The midwife is on her way. You are such an inconvenience – she was giving a lecture in a university in America today!" Mum joked softly, smiling at me lovingly, stroking my hair back. My stomach protested against the heat by sending another shockwave of pain through me. Mum squeezed my hand as the door opened and Sister Weathers dashed in and seemed to analyse me on the spot.

"I need to see how far along you are, if I may," she said, coming towards the bed, pulling bright pink gloves on. I awkwardly sat through the discomfort with mum at my side.

Thankfully I had taken off my sodden underwear off while Scorpius had run for help and my long skirt just had to be pulled up. It's a good job I've been on full bikini-line priming practically since day one, in case I had to go into labour at any given moment.

Or sleep with Scorpius on a whim again… whichever.

"Right Rose, you aren't dilated very much at all yet. You can go home and come back when the contractions get closer and more severe, or you can stay here and try to get some rest before the baby comes?" Sister Ann offered.

"I think I'll stay here. How long will it be do you think?" I asked.

"Well, we try to let nature take its course as much as possible, so it could be a few hours, it could be a few days at worst. We can help manage the pain but really we try to get involved as little as possible," Sister Ann explained with a kind look. I nodded.

"You may as well all go home," I said, turning to mum. I noticed the sun setting through the window and guessed the time to be about seven or eight in the evening.

If the baby is anything like me, it will turn up late.

* * *

><p>It took a long time to convince our parents to go home and get some rest while they wait for news. Dad flat-out refused to go until Harry told him that Teddy had been working a fourteen hour shift waiting for someone to take over. The two of them made their way to the pub, Draco following behind them for a drop of liquid courage while mum, Ginny and Astoria decided to join them about half an hour of umm-ing and ahh-ing about where to go in the meantime. James took a reluctant Sarah to his house, after making me promise to send word the second anything happens.<p>

Hugo, Lily, Becky and Dom went to Nana's to wait en masse with the rest of my enormous family, who had apparently set up a vigil since they saw my face on nana's clock point to 'hospital.' Granddad had to expand the clock since all of us grandkids started cluttering up the place, and since they found out about me, I'm the one they would worry about when fixed on 'hospital.'

Incidentally, James is usually (and unsurprisingly) maintaining a steady position between 'prison' and 'hospital,' occasionally zipping to quiver beside 'mortal peril.'

Bless him.

Anyway, Scorpius stubbornly refused to even leave the room, and sat by my side, clutching my hand and stroking his healed right hand across my forehead.

After passing out from loss of blood, James had directed (carried) him to a nurse, who cleaned the wound, tutting the whole time.

It was currently two in the morning. Yeah, seriously. Why didn't I just go home when I had the chance? Mum has been sending an owl on the hour every hour so she's obviously getting absolutely zero rest. Her and dad are over at the Malfoy's now, so whoever sends them the message of my imminent labour doesn't have to do two trips.

"How are you feeling?" Scorpius asked again. I nodded but winced and bounced on the weird exercise ball the nurses had given me to 'manage the pain.'

I very nearly managed my pain all over their faces.

"I'm fine, Scor," I repeated through gritted teeth. It felt like someone had lit a fire under me.

_And still nothing was happening!_

Perhaps smoking the baby out would work… or sending a fox-terrier up there. I've got to work with nature here.

"It's not helping that I can hear women being rushed in and having their babies in about three seconds flat," I huffed, blowing my hair out of my face.

_WHY IS NOTHING HAPPENING?!_

"We can still go home if you want-" he began again but I doubled over in pain, nearly falling off my little space hopper.

_Something had finally happened!_

"OW, MOTHER OF GOD WHAT IS THIS HELL?!" I blurted out. I thought I would have shouted it, but because I was so bent over, it came out muffled and anti-climactic.

Scorpius stood up, alarmed and waved his wand.

A lioness patronus burst out and he looked down at it.

"Something's happening!" He said, waving his wand wildly towards the nearest opening. The patronus ran at full pelt and went through the window, cascading into at least ten copies of itself, apparently delivering itself to everyone we know.

By the time mum arrived, looking like she'd finally managed to sleep for all of five minutes, I had been levitated back onto my bed by a team of nurses and Sister Weathers. Sarah arrived next, towing a yawning James behind her. Dad followed, carrying coffees for himself, mum and Scorpius. Draco followed, tugging at Astoria's hand and looking anxious.

"How close are the contractions?" a nurse asked Scorpius.

"Err… three minutes?" He stammered, looking to me for confirmation.

"Right. She's fully dilated, everyone-" Sister Ann began after inspecting me, before looking at me curiously.

"Rose, why are you shaking like that?" She asked, sounding highly concerned. I looked up, fear beginning to mount.

I shift when I'm stressed or hormonal or emotional. WHY THE HELL DID I NEVER THINK THAT BIRTH WOULD BE A TRIGGER TO SHIFT?!

"Oh god… she's trying not to shift!" Sarah yelled, gripping James's hand… a hand which was beginning to sprout thick, black fur. His nose was elongating and he grew a tail before dropping to the floor, fully dressed, as a huge black dog.

Everyone looked at each other. Nobody knew what to say. Sweat was starting to run down my forehead. I grabbed Scorpius' hand as he fought to keep himself human and I grabbed James soft furry ear from where he sat on the floor by my bed for support in my other hand.

As a pack, when one of us shifts, the rest of us get the urge to follow suit, not wanting to be left out.

"You're an _**animagus**_?!" Sister Ann screeched. Next to her, Scorpius' hand had become a large, red paw as he began to visibly panic. James began to whine.

I looked up at Sister Ann Weathers in between violent shakes.

"Oops?" I offered weakly.


	44. Chapter 43: Her

**Chapter 43: Her**

The nurse jabbed me in the upper arm with her needle and I very nearly jabbed her right back, fox reflexes materialising even if I was being injected every ten minutes to make sure no other characteristics reared their foxy heads.

"What are you having?" The jab-lady asked. My labour had been stalled magically until my human condition was stable.

As if I haven't been waiting long enough.

"I'm hoping for human, but I think we're all wondering by this point," I grumbled.

Scorpius had wandered off to get another coffee with his dad while our mums took off to change out of their pyjamas while they had the chance. Sarah, the only one out of us to manage not to shift, had maintained a bedside vigil for me, James's dog-head resting on her knee. The nurses had attempted to drag him forcibly from the room but after a few warning growls (from Sarah) and a pitiful whine (from James,) they gave up and huffed off.

I don't know what they were so huffy about… I'm the one about to give birth to a possible fox/human hybrid.

"James… it's boiling in here, my labour has been stalled and I'm being stabbed in the arm every ten minutes. I really don't want to have to have fleas as well," I begged. It's stupidly hot for the middle of the night, and humid. James finally morphed back into himself and pulled on his abandoned clothes.

"Seriously? How are you still looking_ that_ good under fluorescent lights in the middle of the night when it's literally a million degrees?" I asked irritably, turning to Sarah, who had just stifled a huge yawn.

"If I have to look like crap, everyone else has to. That means you, sunshine!" I all but snapped at her. Sarah gave a tinkling laugh despite my temper.

"I love you too," she replied, messing her hair up so wildly that it stuck up at all angles. I couldn't help but smile as well, despite myself.

"There's that smile we've all missed so much!" Scorpius had just reappeared, holding a bottle of ice-cold water that I practically ripped from his hands as the nurse popped back up again and injected me in my bruising arm. I growled quite fiercely at her and she scuttled, leaving James to pat my hair and smile.

"That's my little fox," he said as I gulped down the water and splashed some on my chest. I really wanted to take my bra off because of the discomfort and the heat, but I really don't want my boobs flopping around and terrifying Mr Malfoy when the baby decides to arrive and put us all out of our misery.

Mum and Astoria appeared soon after Scorpius had taken a seat, Astoria clutching pink English roses in her hands. She pressed a kiss to my hot cheek and stuck the flowers in a vase. Mum took my hand softly.

"I just spoke to Sister Ann; the head midwife has been caught up so it looks like it's just going to be Ann and her team. The labour-stalling spell is going to wear off in about five minutes. Are you ready?" she asked gently.

I looked up at her and managed a nod. I was as ready now as I ever would be.

* * *

><p>"Right, labour is finally progressing normally, her blood pressure has calmed down and there is absolutely no chance that she will be able to morph into her animagus form. We're going to start clearing the room," Sister Ann explained to her team, who all looked as knackered as I felt. Security from the ministry had been called to patrol the hospital, which had basically come to a complete halt because silly inconvenient me was about to pop out a sprog.<p>

"Rose, you can have three people in to be your birth partners. It doesn't matter who those three people are; they can swap over as many times as they want as long as there are only ever three in here with you. We have to be strict on this," Sister Ann explained, turning to me and trying to sound firm but failing as she watched the fat tears roll down my cheeks. It was half three in the morning, and I was tired, hungry, aching and scared out of my wits.

My hand flew out to the right of me and I found Scorpius' shirt. I pulled him into me.

"You are not allowed to leave me, even to go for a wee. Do you understand?" I growled under my breath. I was trying to sound threatening but sounding about as convincing as Sister Ann.

I had sweated all my makeup off, and cried the rest of it down my face. My hair was frizzing due to the heat, but Sarah had done her best with it and tied it in a loose bun on the top of my head. She had even managed to fix some of my mascara in place with magic, but Scorpius still looked terrified, maybe at my words, perhaps on my grip on his top. He nodded, smoothing his features into a serious, heartfelt 'yes.' My left hand flew out and caught Sarah around the wrist. I turned to her.

"You are far too young and far too beautiful to see this," I sobbed hysterically. Sarah squeezed my hand.

"If you want me, I'll stay. If you don't, I'll be just outside," she said slowly and soothingly. I nodded and turned to mum and dad and Mr and Mrs Malfoy. Astoria had tears running down her cheeks at my own sobbing, and reached her hand out to me. Mum looked like she was staying brave for me, but also looked desperate and close to tears.

"We'll wait outside, love," dad said, knowing his presence would only make it awkward for both of us. Mr Malfoy nodded quickly and dad crossed the room and kissed me. Draco even dropped a kiss into my hair before they left.

"All the magic happens when the screaming stops anyway," he said with a smile so like his son's. I nodded tearfully but smiling and they left, taking Harry and Ginny with them. One by one, Albus, Becky and Dom smiled comfortingly at me and left. An excited Lily dragged an uncomfortable Hugo with her into the private waiting room.

"I'll be outside. Call me if you need me, little fox," James said seriously, giving me a pat on the head and making to leave. I let out a strangled protest and James turned, worried.

"No, you have to s-stay!" I wept noisily, ignoring the medical team looking pityingly at me and Scorpius' hand on mine. James looked at me and opened his mouth, ready to refuse.

"_James!_" I sobbed so hard it was hard to tell what I said.

"I'll be just outside the door. And I mean _right outside_. If you shout me, I'll be here before you can say 'where did you get that kebab?'" He said. He gave me his old, cheeky cat grin and left the room while I wiped my tears and snot on my sweaty, ugly nightgown. Mum crossed over to me and sat herself down in the chair beside Scorpius' and held my forearm while the hand gripped Scorpius'. Astoria stood uncomfortably by the door but I beckoned her over tiredly and she crossed to sit beside Sarah.

"Just these four. I know it's meant to be three, but _argh_-" I wailed, doubling over in the bed in agony. I let out a low, long agonising moan and Scorpius fixated his terrified eyes on me.

"Come on Ro-Ro!" I heard Albus shout from outside the door.

"Right Rose, we're going to need you to push on your next contraction," Sister Ann said, positioning herself down at the end of the bed. Her team seemed not to care about the amount of people in the room as they got to business.

I let out another howl through gritted teeth. A howl that sounded so wolf-like that I could be channelling Scorpius, who kissed my hand and squeezed it with both of his.

"Yeah, come on Rose, you can do it!" Becky and Dom shouted in unison through the door.

"Go on, Rose!" Mr Malfoy shouted through, apparently getting caught in the chanting. He even sounded surprised at himself. Astoria laughed through her tears. Even Sarah was giggling while she squeezed my hands. She looked mesmerised by me – totally awe-stricken and admiring. Finally she was looking at me the way I think I've looked at her since day one!

"Come on, love," mum said, gripping my hand as the next wave of pain hit me like a bus.

"Alright Rose, push!" Sister Ann commanded and I was happy to oblige.

OW OW OW! THIS CANNOT BE NATURAL! WHERE'S THE PAIN MANAGEMENT NOW?!

I let out a half moan, half sob which grew louder until it became a scream and James barrelled down the door. Well, I thought it was James until I realised my dad was stood right beside him, apparently in a joint effort. I waved my hand in relief at them and _every single one_ of them hurried quickly into the (thankfully large) room. Draco came and stood behind Astoria and Sarah got up and gave up her seat to dad, who gripped my hand so tightly that I felt almost as if he were trying to imbue some of his strength into me.

I shuffled in my bed, suddenly self-conscious even though my family were being very respectful and staying as close to my head as possible, but I didn't have time to concern myself with how covered up I was, as the next wave of agony hit me in an urgent, burning stab.

"_Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie…_" Becky, Dom, Hugo, Lily, Albus and even the concerned and worried James and Sarah had begun chanting my name as if I were about to score a goal in Quidditch, not trying to bring life into this world. It was a low sound, their voices as one as they supported me in the only way they could, seeing as both of my hands were being held.

The surreal nature of the whole thing actually made me take a deep breath and grit my teeth through another long moan/scream and I panted in between contractions and pushes as I was told to. I blocked out everything but the sound of my friend's voices as they said my name like a mantra over and over, never taking their eyes away from mine. It was so ritualistic that it pulled me away from the pain, away from the self-consciousness. Harry and Ginny, apparently twigging that this strange ritual was seemingly helping me, began to join in, Dom's fist pumping the air emphatically as Astoria joined in under her breath.

As if perfectly planned, even the medical team were pulled into the atmosphere. Becky and Dom were fist-pumping and James and Sarah held their entwined hands in the air in a sort of triumphant cheer.

_Every single person_ in the room had noticed the effect it was having on my calm, and had joined in!

"One more big push, Rose!" Sister Ann said quietly over the rumble of voices. I looked to Scorpius, who held my eye contact so firmly that the tears stopped flowing. I held his gaze and began to push, in more pain that I have ever experienced in my life. He held my gaze and my hand tightly.

"You can do this, Rose. You can do this" he said simply. My legs shook with the effort but I never dropped his gaze as tears squeezed themselves out of my eyes, my lips pulled up into a teeth-baring clench as I grunted and growled and groaned fiercely. The voices were getting louder and louder until Sarah, on the end of the line of my friends/family, dropped her hand from James' and gasped.

There was silence in the room, apart from my near-silent crying and very laboured breathing.

And then I heard the cries of my baby.

* * *

><p>I was laughing and crying at the same time, like Dom does when she drinks too much. The medical team had tried to shunt half of the people from the room, but quickly gave up when faced with Mr Malfoy, Sarah, mum and James, who had created a fierce barrier between me and the outside world.<p>

My baby was handed to me by Scorpius, who had tears as big and beautiful as diamonds in his eyes. I have never loved anyone as much as I love him… never wanted so much to hug someone and never, ever let them go. To share everything from a baby to a home to a coffin. Tears were rolling down my face still as he passed me the bundle of snuffling miracle. Mum, Ginny and Astoria were holding each other in a kind of three-way hug while Mr Malfoy and Harry had dad in a kind of arm-around sandwich while dad fisted at his eyes and tears glistened in Draco's eyes too.

I looked down into the face of my little one, and nothing mattered anymore. Nothing made a sound in the room as I blocked out all the noise. Nothing mattered but her.

Her… it was a girl. The little kicks and bladder-dances and hormone battles had been down to the tiny little girl in my arms. She was opening and closing her eyes with a screwed-up expression as if it were too bright for her to handle. Every time she opened her huge blue eyes I never wanted her to close them and shut me out of the beauty. I was blessed with a daughter truly as beautiful to me as my best friend.

I reached out a finger to my baby and a hand as tiny as a plum reached out and curled its fingers around mine.

"Hi little one," I managed softly, coming back to earth. In my peripheral vision I saw Ginny taking photos as I looked up to Scorpius with the love I felt for him and our little girl in my eyes.

I looked up at dad on the other side, who was stood over the two of us and still rubbing his eyes.

"Dad…" I said weakly, hearing the relief and ecstasy and shock in my own voice as I held my baby up to my father, as if for judgement.

Dad took my daughter from my arms delicately and looked down. My whole world seemed to stop turning as dad bounced her up and sound ever so slightly in his arms, tears glistening on his cheeks again as mum came to stand beside him, looking down with a similar expression of utter love. Dad passed the baby to her and she smiled down at her with tears pooling in her eyes before holding her out to Astoria, who was practically being held upright by Draco.

Scorpius was handed our daughter next and brought her back over to my outstretched arms. I had actually missed her in the few minutes she had left my arms and I finally felt complete again when I held her tightly to my chest. I looked up Scorpius, who looked down at me, and he kissed me on the lips immediately.

"I love you," he said, for the whole room to hear, his eyes open and honest. The room went silent, every breath hanging on my response.

"I love you too," I replied just as proudly and our friends and family began to laugh, sob and generally make noise again, while I lost myself in the eyes and arms of the man I loved.

* * *

><p><em>I hope you enjoyed the chapter guys, <em>_the next chapter will be the last one__! It's been such an amazing journey writing this and I've had so much fantastic feedback. It's been three years plus, and I have never felt too disheartened to continue, although there have been times when writing was hard. I just want you all to know how much your continued support has meant to me, and I am going to be naming and shaming a lot of you next chapter for extra thanks :)_

_I look forward to hearing from you!_

_-Sarita x_


	45. Chapter 44: Chaos and Shenanigans

**Chapter 44: Chaos and Shenanigans**

Sister Ann woke me up the very next morning, presenting me with my baby. She apparently was as hunger-orientated as me.

While she taught me the various tricks of breastfeeding and I instantly forgot them through exhaustion, my baby gurgled and blinked at me.

Sister Ann finally sat down in the crappy plastic chair next to my bed. Everyone had gone home to catch up on their sleep and allow me to do the same. Mum and Astoria had to practically drag Scorpius out of here, but he was almost as tired as me and gave up fairly quickly.

"I need to talk to you about contraception," the midwife said with a dry smile. I looked at her as if she had just grown a second head and hitched my baby up higher on my chest.

"Thanks, but you're about 9 months too late..." I trailed off, still looking at her as if she were mentally unstable. She laughed heartily and offered a finger to my daughter to grab with her tiny hand.

"I meant from now on, have you thought about what you're going to use?" she said, still smiling.

"Hmm. Well I was hoping to just cling to the edge of the bed and threaten to call the police if he comes near me. How's that?" I offered, realising that she might not even know what police were.

She laughed again. I'm such a hoot.

"That's excellent. But just in case that master plan doesn't work out, here's this potion," she said, handing me a huge bottle of something liquid and violently pink and, noticing my huge yawn, taking my baby and leaving me to sleep once more, the bottle still gripped in my clammy hand.

* * *

><p>It was days until I was allowed to leave the hospital. I still had to be injected every four hours to keep my animagus self under control. After that, we stayed at the Malfoy's for a week while our new house was being finalised, and <em>then<em> we spent another week at my parents because there was a problem with the wards around our place. Apparently some obsessed fan of mine or Scorpius' had managed to breech the defences.

Scary stuff.

Scorpius stayed with me the whole time, holding my hand in the night when the baby woke me up, stroking my forehead while I drifted off to sleep and being tolerant as ever with my ever-excitable family buzzing around. Right now, Scorpius and I were somewhere familiar. Somewhere cosy and out of the way… somewhere we probably weren't supposed to be.

Our pack was gathered around us one last time; in the cabin we had made our school home. It had taken a very nice floo-call to Uncle Neville, but we'd managed to get in without trouble and had taken our seats as usual, the door flung back to let in the balmy evening air.

James had taken his usual seat in the biggest red bean-bag with Sarah next to him like his proud Queen. His old cheeky grin was back, and she was practically glowing with happiness. Opposite, Becky was sat between Dom and Albus, her hand on Albus' knee. Hugo and Lily sat cross-legged on the floor by the fireplace and Scorpius and I sat together on the sofa, our daughter being passed around excitedly.

"Flights are booked. Me and Becky leave next Friday," Dom offered, looking down at Baby, who was clutching her finger.

"You're actually doing the France thing?" Scorpius asked. The 'France thing' was a crazy idea that Dom had apparently had in the last fortnight – her and Becky would be travelling to the south of France to stay with her Aunt Gabrielle and over the next six months would work their way back up to England.

Having spent time with Dom camping and sleeping rough, I was grateful I had an excuse not to go. Lily was practically sick with envy though. She and Hugo had another year of school to go, and without us I think she felt it would be boring. Maybe she's right – we definitely are the party.

"Yeah, we're actually doing 'the France thing'," Dom replied, rolling her eyes with a grin as she passed my daughter to Lily, who looked as excited as ever to see her.

"It's a shame you guys can't come," Becky added to the room in general.

I nodded. Scorpius and I had the best excuse – a baby on a camping holiday is no fun at all.

"Sorry sweetheart, my destiny waits for no man!" James replied, grinning and pulling Sarah into him.

"Yeah, how did your trial go?" Hugo asked. James shrugged.

I was glad he wasn't going to go back into a blow-by-blow account of his spectacular trial again. It made me jealous.

"Nailed it," he said with his cheeky grin, "I've got a meeting tomorrow night to decide who's going to be the new captain. Apparently Adrian Jones wants to leave sooner than we anticipated so the team has to decide whether I'll be the captain as well as the new seeker so soon or whether someone will be captain until I know it all a bit better," James added.

Hugo nodded.

"What's your excuse then?" he asked with a smile, pointing to Sarah and Albus.

"Work!" Albus barked a laugh. As always, he was the unpredictable one. Harry and Ginny had rented him a flat near the ministry where he would soon be starting work in the Department of Mysteries, though he couldn't say (more likely didn't know) what his job would involve.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Stop going on about it, Al!" she sighed. He had apparently been gushing about it for days.

"When do you start your job anyway?" Lily turned to Sarah, who was absently stroking James' hair out of his eyes.

"I leave for Rome tomorrow night. I'll be back next weekend," Sarah replied. James looked at her sadly, just for a second. I think perhaps he thought their life together would be just like school – living in each other's pockets.

Unlike Scorpius and I, James and Sarah had decided not to move in together just yet – Sarah had rented a flat near her modelling agency and James would be living the other side of London near where England trained – I found their decision to be a good one; they would be seeing each other all the time, there was no need to move in straight away, James was only nineteen and Sarah eighteen after all.

Scorpius and I had made the choice based on our daughter… She was the catalyst for our feelings finally being out in the open, and I've honestly never been happier. James and Sarah have years to do things in their own time.

Lily gave Sarah an excited reply that I didn't hear as my daughter was passed back to me, and the world began to melt away again.

We sat in comfortable chatter the entire night, finally getting to say goodbye to the school we loved, the cabin we cherished and the friendship that time and distance could never break.

* * *

><p>"This is going to be your room little one," I said, pointing with the hand not holding the baby, who looked at me blankly.<p>

Scorpius came in past me and set down the hospital bag. Moving day had come around too quickly and too slowly at the same time.

"Sar!" I called, and Sarah appeared with marigold gloves on and a sponge in one hand. I held out the baby to her and she discarded her gloves quickly to take my daughter.

"I've been desperate for a wee for about half an hour," I sang as I came back into the living room, drying my hands on my trousers. I smoothed down my weird smock-top over my considerably smaller stomach and reached my hands back out for my little girl.

"Worth all the stretch marks!" I yawned down at her before dropping into the rocking chair next to the crib, still smiling.

I was woken up three hours later by James applying the finishing touches to the paint on the crib. Someone had relieved me of my daughter and I stretched and smiled down at my cousin.

"You guys didn't have to come and help with this today," I said to him, noticing that the room was empty and quiet.

"Well, we're only down the road really," he shrugged, sitting down on the floor.

"Are you okay?" I asked tentatively. He looked up suddenly and defensively.

"Yeah, of course. I just thought there'd be some time for me and her together before life got in the way," he said, dropping his defences immediately for me. I nodded.

"You're young. You have all the time in the world together," I said simply, knowing that he would never let anything get between him and Sarah ever again. He nodded again, this time more hopefully and got up, grinning in his cat-like way.

"I'll see you later; I've got to go to that meeting with the team tonight," he said, ruffling my hair, "you're going to have to think of a name for her soon!" he added before he left, laughing to himself in his insane way.

Not longer than a minute passed before Scorpius came in, shirtless and sweating.

"Our parents are coming over to help us later. Mum wouldn't take no for an answer," I laughed. He shook his head with a knowing smile.

"You okay?" He asked, grinning as he came over and stood over the crib beside me, where our baby was sleeping soundly.

We looked down at her together before I turned my eyes up towards him.

"Yes. Everything is going to be okay," I said, smiling.

"Perhaps life will be a bit more peaceful now," he grinned.

Just as he drew me into a tight bear-hug, our daughter began to bawl at the top of her lungs and I laughed crookedly, picking her out and bouncing her on my hip.

"What was that about peace?" I asked, shaking my head.

"I meant apart from the crying," he said rolling his eyes at me.

"Yeah, well apart from the crying it's going to be peaceful, I hope," I replied honestly.

"ROSE," James' panicked voice came from downstairs, "WHY IS THERE A BABY DRAGON IN YOUR GARDEN?!"

Peace might be too much to ask for… perhaps just chaos and shenanigans happily ever after…

.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** So there we have it… years of work finally finished! I can't say I'm happy, but I'm not too sad either – everything has to come to an end. I want you, dear readers, to know how much your continued support has meant to me, and without you, this would not have started, let alone finished. I doubt this will truly be the end of my interfering in the pack's lives – I actually have already started writing little bits that I might squish together into a prequel/sequel at some point, but until then I must get on with other ventures._

_I would like to extend my heartfelt personal thanks to the following readers:_

_HalfBloodBanana_

_HPfan109_

_Hpfan2013_

_Katy-kat15_

_GryffindorBeth_

_JustMeMarissa_

_HarrietMitchellx_

_Thatperfectsomeone_

_Grace2girl6_

_Cathy20_

_Reheni_

_Noelle95_

_TheMethod2MyMadness _

_For your continued support, wonderful reviews and positive feedback, I thank all of you._

_Until next time,_

_- Sarita x_

_P.S. I know I didn't give her a name... you can give her a name yourself... for now :)_


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